After the Fact

Adam Trask is a good man. He is fair and decent in his behavior, if a bit misguided with some of his judgements. Adam is, in so many ways, the Adam. He is God's son, God's pride, and God's test.

Using his literary paintings Steinbeck creates a picture book of Adam's life. From his time in the east to his travels out west the reader, or viewer as s/he really is with Steinbeck novels, gets to see Adam's relations with his brother, a mysterious woman, his sons, and a few friends along the way.

The beauty of it all is the intricacy. There is almost the smell of hay when the barn is raised and dry earth runs through the reader's hand when Adam is trying to plant out west. All along the way the images and feelings are portrayed with such clarity and amazing sense of power that the reader feels more like a silent partner in the trek than a reader.

Of course the detail of the situations and the scenery makes a book wonderful, but it doesn't make you need to turn the page. Steinbeck makes you do this with his plot, even if it seems rambling at times, and amazing characters.

One of my all time favorite characters, next to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, is, well, a nameless woman. She changes her name so many times you don't really know what to call her, but most readers of the book know her as Cathy Trask.

The mental state of this amazing woman is always kept just out of reach of the reader. Much like Hamlet there are questions of whether she is insane or not. Of course her mental state is not like that of Hamlet, but you get the picture: she could be a nut, or she might not be. Either way she is frightening.

She is frightening in the actions she takes, the choices she makes, and the things that she is willing to do. She is frightening in her manipulative nature, and skill. She is frightening because I am male, and I know there are women like her out there. Of course women find Cathy interesting as well, she is just a complex and well crafted woman with wonderful flaws, for analysis, not for a member of society.

As if Steinbeck doesn't throw enough layers into this complex work when he goes into the plot, the characters, and the relationships, he has to throw in religion. This novel is built largely around religious symbolism and questions. There are tons of references to Adam (duh), Cain and Able, the serpent, and faith.

All through the story there is sibling rivalry, neighborly situations, and questions that are all raised in the Bible. There are even several instances which are clearly direct references to situations depicted in the Bible.

As if there wasn't enough symbolism and reference that could be taken from the Bible Steinbeck also borrows from John Milton's Paradise Lost (ever notice the connection in Of Mice And Men: George Milton--John Milton. Steinbeck was a definite fan). There is one great sequence where Steinbeck describes somebody, you'll have to find out for yourself, climbing up from below; it is done in almost the exact same manner Milton uses to describe the serpent rising.

If you haven't figured it out yet: I'm a huge fan of this book. Of Mice And Men is one of my, if not my single, favorite book. With East of Eden Steinbeck has not failed me. His skill in painting the wonderful images is profound and abundant. His amazing ability with plots and heart strings continues, and the symbolism is just great to follow. East of Eden is absolutely wonderful and well worth the impressively long read.