In John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Steinbeck is constantly using diction, syntax, and other rhetorical strategies to sway his readers’ opinion of characters. Not only does Steinbeck set up images of characters in the minds of readers, but he also leads readers to follow the subtle, yet effective, character parallels throughout the novel. For example, Adam Trask parallels his son Aron Trask; Charles Trask, Adam’s brother, parallels Cal Trask, another one of Adam’s sons. Quite often, readers are able to base their “good” or “bad” judgement of a character on who they are found to be paralleled to. In East of Eden, an overlooked and untouched character parallel is between Alice Trask, Adam’s step-mother, and Cathy Ames, Adam’s wife. Since many readers
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Alice, being a first generation character, was the first, out of her and Cathy, to meet Adam. Alice had always been a quiet and reserved woman, but one day Adam walked into his kitchen and, “…was shocked as though he had come upon her naked. He breathed excitedly, high against his throat. For Alice had been naked -- she had been smiling” (21). This scene is the first time in which Adam, or anyone, sees Alice smile, and Steinbeck brings importance to this by noting that Adam was “shocked” -- it was as if he saw his own step-mother without any clothes on. Technically, though, she was naked; Alice showed true emotions, which she usually does not, making her vulnerable. Alice’s “clothing” is her ability to conceal her feelings, so once she exposed her feelings and took off that “clothing”, she became naked. Reading how Alice’s actions made Adam excited, readers begin to develop a feeling of excitedness as well, hoping to see Alice display more emotions. As she does not show emotion on purpose, readers begin to feel solemn -- they want Alice to express herself. Similarly, as Adam was helping Cathy recover from her major injuries, “He turned, walked through the kitchen, and stood in the doorway, looking at Cathy. She smiled weakly at him, and he thought, What a child! What a helpless child! And a surge of love filled him” (119). Since Cathy displayed a smile “weakly”, readers will come to the conclusion that those are true emotions that Cathy is displaying. Both Alice and Cathy revealed pure emotion to Adam, both while in kitchens, both leaving Adam with a sudden flood of emotion. Steinbeck creates a “deja vu” moment for readers, leaving them with the sense that both women are forced to suppress their emotions. From this, Steinbeck develops pathos, because readers want Alice and Cathy to be able to freely show who
Alice, being a first generation character, was the first, out of her and Cathy, to meet Adam. Alice had always been a quiet and reserved woman, but one day Adam walked into his kitchen and, “…was shocked as though he had come upon her naked. He breathed excitedly, high against his throat. For Alice had been naked -- she had been smiling” (21). This scene is the first time in which Adam, or anyone, sees Alice smile, and Steinbeck brings importance to this by noting that Adam was “shocked” -- it was as if he saw his own step-mother without any clothes on. Technically, though, she was naked; Alice showed true emotions, which she usually does not, making her vulnerable. Alice’s “clothing” is her ability to conceal her feelings, so once she exposed her feelings and took off that “clothing”, she became naked. Reading how Alice’s actions made Adam excited, readers begin to develop a feeling of excitedness as well, hoping to see Alice display more emotions. As she does not show emotion on purpose, readers begin to feel solemn -- they want Alice to express herself. Similarly, as Adam was helping Cathy recover from her major injuries, “He turned, walked through the kitchen, and stood in the doorway, looking at Cathy. She smiled weakly at him, and he thought, What a child! What a helpless child! And a surge of love filled him” (119). Since Cathy displayed a smile “weakly”, readers will come to the conclusion that those are true emotions that Cathy is displaying. Both Alice and Cathy revealed pure emotion to Adam, both while in kitchens, both leaving Adam with a sudden flood of emotion. Steinbeck creates a “deja vu” moment for readers, leaving them with the sense that both women are forced to suppress their emotions. From this, Steinbeck develops pathos, because readers want Alice and Cathy to be able to freely show who