East of Eden is a novel written by acclaimed author, John Steinbeck. The story follows two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and their intertwined lives in the years between the American Civil War in the 1860s and the Great Depression in the 1930s. Throughout the novel, the author recurrently uses religion through a series of biblical allusions that in turn reflect the context of the novel. In order to explore how context has informed the use of religion in Steinbeck’s East of Eden, one must examine the setting, plot, character depictions and stylistic features. By extensively exploring the context of Steinbeck’s work and its inadvertent impact on the use of religion, I have been encouraged to question the meaning generated by the language used, thereafter allowing me to address its ambiguity.
…show more content…
Commoners were disillusioned and while some turned to religion as a coping mechanism, others turned away from it. Other aspirations arose at the time such as the American Dream, whereby working-class citizens were encouraged to pioneer and attain prosperity as well as a change in social mobility. Under these circumstances, many travelled from the outskirts of towns to major cities or large farmlands, much like the Trask and Hamilton families did. Although published in 1952, the novel is set during the period in which John Steinbeck himself was partially alive. His childhood, as well as his past experiences and personal values are all reflected in the way that the novel has been written. As well as this, Steinbeck has constructed his characters in a way to reflect religious figures, reiterating the prevalence of religion in society at the time of the text. Looking at all these factors, this essay will therefore explore: How has context informed the use of religion in John Steinbeck’s East of
Commoners were disillusioned and while some turned to religion as a coping mechanism, others turned away from it. Other aspirations arose at the time such as the American Dream, whereby working-class citizens were encouraged to pioneer and attain prosperity as well as a change in social mobility. Under these circumstances, many travelled from the outskirts of towns to major cities or large farmlands, much like the Trask and Hamilton families did. Although published in 1952, the novel is set during the period in which John Steinbeck himself was partially alive. His childhood, as well as his past experiences and personal values are all reflected in the way that the novel has been written. As well as this, Steinbeck has constructed his characters in a way to reflect religious figures, reiterating the prevalence of religion in society at the time of the text. Looking at all these factors, this essay will therefore explore: How has context informed the use of religion in John Steinbeck’s East of