The Balance Between Good And Evil

There are many opportunities for Steinbeck to build anticipation within the novel by leaving the option for his characters to continue to develop. This gives a prominent theme of choice to overcome within East of Eden. The moral question on whether people are born evil and if they can overcome it, is shown within multiple characters. Cathy, the epitome of evil in all literature, has been evil since she was a child. Her burning her house down when she is a young girl and then being able to move on with life with no regrets, shows how “there are monsters born” (Steinbeck 71). She is not able to escape her wickedness as she matures, there is evidence of this when she uses Adam. She can “control him” and uses their marriage as “a refuge” for the time being (Steinbeck 120). It is not shown that Cathy is battling with this inner question, as her character develops she shows effort to change.

This inner struggle, that is not shown in Cathy, is showcased in Cal Trask. He always knew he was different and has more hatred within him than his brother. He tries to control his outburst of anger and his jealousy, towards his more likeable brother, all throughout his childhood. These actions are carried on to his adult life, just like his Uncle Charles. It seems as though he is destined to fulfill the role of the evil brother, once again a biblical allusion to Cain. He recognizes his tendencies and prays that he would “be like Aron” and that the Lord would not “let him be mean” (Steinbeck 377). Once he discovers his mother’s identity, Cal believes that his evilness is inherited from his mother. This causes him to feel hopeless and that his life of evil is already decided by fate. He eventually overcomes this fight of his urges and realizes that he can choose to live a life of good, and that he has control over his actions and his future. This lifelong struggle helps express the overall theme of choice within the novel.

Cathy is the face of evil continually throughout the novel, she reveals her true colors with various characters. A significant period of the novel that shows Cathy’s wickedness, is when she stays in a brothel owned by Faye, a great woman who is manipulated by Cathy and leaves everything to her in the will. During a moment of drunkenness, Cathy shows Faye how cruel she really is. By Cathy throwing these cruel insults of “fat worm” and “nasty” at the woman she views as her “mother,” it shows her true identity and how manipulative she is towards everyone that loves her (Steinbeck 234). Cathy only does things to advance herself in life, even at the cost of others. Also during Cathy’s time at the brothel, she shows a deep rooted evil. She tortures innocent people, on multiple occasions, for her very own pleasure.

In contrast to Cathy’s evil spirit, we see a glimpse of good in this frame of the novel. Faye, the owner of the brothel, is very selfless towards Cathy in this whole situation. By Faye offering Cathy things like a home for no cost, shows how she just wants the best for Cathy and for her to not be a prostitute. Faye, not having any children of her own, is very impressionable to Cathy who manipulates her by giving her that motherly role. Faye also takes care of the other girls in the house and makes sure they are on their best behavior and that they run a clean business. Faye is too good to Cathy and becomes blind to the truths around her. She ultimately welcomed her killer into her home with open. This dynamic relationship between Cathy and Faye shows the inner struggle between good and evil. Cathy representing evil, manipulating and lying to people as a “device for profit or escape”, and Faye representing good, giving Cathy everything she needed and more just so she could have a better life(Steinbeck 73).