East of Eden
question
The Character Lee
Claire
Feb 07, 2017 10:16PM
One of my all-time favorite books. On my second read-through of this book it struck me, (and this might sound crazy), I think that Lee is the main character of East of Eden. To me he is the mover, the shaker and the doer of every central plot in this book, and is the catalyst for almost every action. I'll have to do a thorough third reading to flesh out the points and supporting arguments for this idea, but I want to see if anyone has any thoughts on his character and how his storyline ties into the more biblical parallels being drawn to the other characters.
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I would agree he definitely does not get enough credit as a main character. However, I think it would be difficult to argue Adam is not the main main character. To be fair, he is not even in the first part of the book. Adam was born in the beginning and dies in the end. He is the one who grows, falls, and has to be resurrected. He is the one who has every significant interaction with every other character. I would love to see a more full argument, though. I love this book and would enjoy seeing a unique take on it.
To me this novel was about accepting people for who they are. How meaningful was it to call kate evil when she basically had a disability to see the world as others did. I liked the line from Cal about how she must suspect that everyone else could see something that she couldnt.
For lee too he is trapped in circumstances and tried to leave but couldnt find a more satisfying life. Is he good? Certainly his actions have positive results but he does nothing more than play the hand he was dealt.
I dont think anyone is evil in the story any more than a bear could be considered evil for its actions while hungry. The symbolic realease from the past in the word "timshel" represented the granting of free will with biblical parallel.
You make your own decisions live your own life and forget about why or whether its good or evil
For lee too he is trapped in circumstances and tried to leave but couldnt find a more satisfying life. Is he good? Certainly his actions have positive results but he does nothing more than play the hand he was dealt.
I dont think anyone is evil in the story any more than a bear could be considered evil for its actions while hungry. The symbolic realease from the past in the word "timshel" represented the granting of free will with biblical parallel.
You make your own decisions live your own life and forget about why or whether its good or evil
I just read it the first time through and I'm having trouble figuring out Lee, Kate and Joe Valery.
All the characters conflict with good an evil or display virtues and character defects throughout, except these three.
Kate embodies evil and she does suffer for her evil-doing but she never struggles to choose between good and evil. Joe Valery seems to be equally 1 dimensional but has a backstory to explain that he became evil, contrary to Kate's having been born evil.
Lee seems to have no evil in him. He never struggles with any of the 7 deadly sins. Aron and Liza seem to have an ignorance of evil and the inability to face it but I'm not sure that is an element of evil within them. Does Cathy's inability to accept love parallel their inability to accept evil?
All the characters conflict with good an evil or display virtues and character defects throughout, except these three.
Kate embodies evil and she does suffer for her evil-doing but she never struggles to choose between good and evil. Joe Valery seems to be equally 1 dimensional but has a backstory to explain that he became evil, contrary to Kate's having been born evil.
Lee seems to have no evil in him. He never struggles with any of the 7 deadly sins. Aron and Liza seem to have an ignorance of evil and the inability to face it but I'm not sure that is an element of evil within them. Does Cathy's inability to accept love parallel their inability to accept evil?
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