Wen Lee’s Reviews > East of Eden > Status Update

Ch 23
How time passes • death as a promise and expectation vs denial and immortality • Leaving a place like a stab to the heart • taking pride in hurt as self performance • energy and bravery to try again

Ch 22.2
Humility to ask for greatness • loneliness at the top • condemnation to achieve greatness • time heals all; betrayal of grief in moving on • What we receive from stories is reflection of ourselves • Take on the burden of sin and guilt • Assigning blame to humanity, ancestry • jealousy of man • great and lasting story about everyone • rejection is the deepest terror for a child, unloved

⭐️ Ch 22 - Naming
Loveliness to horror plummet • Taint of a lifetime from our last memory • Anger/Hatred as a love instead of annoyance, given up • Creating our own Eve, our own paradise by projecting what we want and crave in others - Eve from Adam’s own flesh • what passes in blood • what’s in a name - molded by child or child changes to fit • nickname as wrong name

15 End-18
Humility = pleasurable pain • Adam sees what he wants to see but still scared of temptation • used Cathy as the bringer of light, projected what he craved and need d to see in her • #believewomenwhentheyhatecalifornia • what is Cathy escaping • inevitability of time and effect on others - generational trauma • church:brothel to relieve men from reality • opener - developer - culture timeline

Ch 15: LEE MY KING
What we see vs expect • Our body, our senses are connected to our perception, individual reality • pendulum of Asian Americans towards over-intellect - what we take for granted now, how our ancestors were treated • what is expected of me vs actual accomplishment • humor to keep up for others in sadness • Irish struggle • servant absolute security • A Dream Deferred

Ch 12-14
Illusion of time and nostalgia whenever it resets in cycles • manufacturing glory • Industrial Revolution eliminating the need for men, AI now • irreplaceable independent mind • hidden sorrow in a place • debts are bought on time • ecstasy close to grief •

Ch 11: TLDR; real recognize real! 💯

C+C (omg?) are reflections of each other - Charles is frightened, distrusting, disgusted, Cathy accepts it face on, thrilled by it, challenging
Scars of their sins? • Cathy’s reverence x trouble question - herself? • does Adam’s infantilization = love • protection of marriage, retaining control • she’ll destroy you

Ch 9 - hypocrisy of a wh*rehouse • trap of a child vs potential of death • blind insanity of love • self torture, stupidity of love

10 - what is it all for /farm /routine • Hometown paradox of staying and leaving • simple pleasure • daddy issues still waiting on Adam’s approval, contentment and reciprocation • politeness < anger

Ch: 8 DIVACON.🔥💃🏻
Monsters BANGER intro • societal reactionary suffering vs adaptation • perception is everything • stories:interest / lies:escape+profit • taboo of sex and self enslavement to shame • impulse • illusion of power • scapegoat for a sense of security • mania of local tragedy • the lies we tell ourselves - town x fire (lowkey major theme pattern)