East Of Eden Analysis

Submitted By taylornacole
Words: 781
Pages: 4

In the book East of Eden, they used land as a hidden meaning behind many things. They used the Trask farm as a place where Adam goes after he leaves the war. They use the inns to house prostitutes. And finally, they use the Ames house as a place where Cathy lived as a child before she killed her family. Cyrus Trask works his farm in Connecticut, and after Adam leaves to go to the army and Cyrus takes his position of Secretary of War in Washington, Charles stays back and works the farm. Mr. Edwards keeps a network of prostitutes at inns throughout New England, and Charles makes a habit of visiting the inns periodically. Charles got a disease from visiting this inn every now and then. The disease did not stop him from continuing to visit. Cathy kills her parents by setting fire to their home while they are sleeping one night. Cathy was a very rebellious child and didn’t realize that her parents wanted the best for her, so she did the exact opposite of what they wanted her to do. Each of these settings had meanings behind them, and they meant something in the book. The three settings all were very different, but alike in their own way. In the late nineteenth century, a man named Samuel Hamilton settles in the Salinas Valley in northern California. He brings his strict but loving wife, Liza, with him from Ireland. Although Samuel is well respected in the community, he never becomes a wealthy man. The Hamiltons go on to have nine children and become a prominent family in the valley.

Adam Trask, meanwhile, settles in the valley with his pregnant wife Cathy where he eventually becomes friends with Samuel Hamilton. Before moving to California, Adam lives on a farm in Connecticut with his half-brother, Charles. The dark and moody Charles resents the fact that his and Adam’s father, Cyrus, has always favored the good-natured Adam. Upon his death, Cyrus leaves his sons a large and unexpected fortune, probably stolen during his days as an administrator in the U.S. Army. Despite their newfound wealth, Adam and Charles remain unable to get along. Charles is disgusted at his brother’s marriage to Cathy, who, unbeknownst to Adam or Charles, is a former prostitute who murdered her parents and stole their money. Although Charles despises Cathy, he takes her into his bed after she drugs Adam on their wedding night.

Adam and Cathy move to California, as Adam proves unable to live peacefully with Charles in Connecticut. In Salinas, Cathy learns she is pregnant and attempts to abort her baby in order to prevent any furtherance of ties to her husband. She is desperate to escape Adam despite the fact that he loves her and provides for her. The abortion is unsuccessful, and Cathy eventually gives birth to twins, Aron and Caleb (Cal). It is clear from the start, however, that Cathy does not care about the infants and wants to leave the household as soon as possible. One day, Cathy shoots Adam, flees the house, and moves