All things truly wicked start from innocence- hemmingway(use this as conclusion)
The obscurity of one’s character can prove to be an essential trait. In the novel, East of Eden, John Steinbeck dramatizes the ongoing conflict between good and evil in the society of the Salinas Valley through the individuals of the Hamilton and Trask families. Caleb, in particular, stands out to be the epitome of a morally ambiguous character. Having the versatile ability to express conflicting intentions; good and evil, love and hatred, failure and success, he becomes a gravitating force in other people’s lives. At one point in the plot his actions reflect pure evil and at another the complete opposite. Because of his change in morals, Caleb becomes a crucial factor to the strength of the novel’s plot.
Approaching halfway through the …show more content…
No person is set on a straight path to good or to evil, and every person has control over their own life and how they treat others. Lee also reminds Caleb that he is not evil, but rather just an imperfect human being. This gives Caleb confidence to realize that he is not a complete replica of his evil mother. Like the “craftsman”, Caleb is determined to get rid of the Trask family stereotype. He wipes away the stereotype that from birth, everyone is set on a path to sin or good. He proves to everyone that committing a sin is merely a choice every person has the power to triumph over. Lee’s advice undermines the idea of “timshel”, the idea that the path to man triumphing over evil or embracing it is open. Caleb really brings to life this idea through the novel. Without his sense of moral ambiguity, the novel would not have had an interesting plot as it did and it overarching meaning would not have been captured by the novel’s end. Due to his moral ambiguity throughout, Caleb is to bring “light” to the end of the novel, providing a great significance to the
The obscurity of one’s character can prove to be an essential trait. In the novel, East of Eden, John Steinbeck dramatizes the ongoing conflict between good and evil in the society of the Salinas Valley through the individuals of the Hamilton and Trask families. Caleb, in particular, stands out to be the epitome of a morally ambiguous character. Having the versatile ability to express conflicting intentions; good and evil, love and hatred, failure and success, he becomes a gravitating force in other people’s lives. At one point in the plot his actions reflect pure evil and at another the complete opposite. Because of his change in morals, Caleb becomes a crucial factor to the strength of the novel’s plot.
Approaching halfway through the …show more content…
No person is set on a straight path to good or to evil, and every person has control over their own life and how they treat others. Lee also reminds Caleb that he is not evil, but rather just an imperfect human being. This gives Caleb confidence to realize that he is not a complete replica of his evil mother. Like the “craftsman”, Caleb is determined to get rid of the Trask family stereotype. He wipes away the stereotype that from birth, everyone is set on a path to sin or good. He proves to everyone that committing a sin is merely a choice every person has the power to triumph over. Lee’s advice undermines the idea of “timshel”, the idea that the path to man triumphing over evil or embracing it is open. Caleb really brings to life this idea through the novel. Without his sense of moral ambiguity, the novel would not have had an interesting plot as it did and it overarching meaning would not have been captured by the novel’s end. Due to his moral ambiguity throughout, Caleb is to bring “light” to the end of the novel, providing a great significance to the