East Of Eden By John Steinbeck: Difference Between Good And Evil

Deciphering Good and Evil

Throughout the course of ones’ life, one encounters various forms of good and evil consistently. Often, examples of good and evil are not clearly defined, and this leads to difficulty in defining the distinction between the two. To be able to find the difference between the two terms, one must understand what each label really means. According to Google’s dictionary, good is defined as having virtue, righteousness, high morality, and integrity. On the contrary, evil is defined as pertaining to immorality, malevolence, and dishonorable actions. Although there are widely accepted definitions of good and evil, the final decision is up to the person facing the situation. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck
There is no reason that one can only be deemed as solely good or evil after his death. If they were truly one or the other, their actions should have left a clear distinction in their lives. However, it is possible to argue that certain actions were malevolent or dishonorable. For example, in East of Eden, Steinbeck portrayed Cathy as an “evil” character. “What made Kate so effective as the fact that she had either learned it or had been born with the knowledge. Also, she was mistress of a technique which is the basis of good wrestling- that of letting your opponent do the heavy work toward his own defeat, or of guiding his strength toward his weaknesses” (Steinbeck 240). Steinbeck explains how Kate possessed the powers to manipulate others as if they were her puppets to commit her evil desires. He also emphasizes certain actions such as planning the death of her parents, shooting Adam, and killing
Although there is a general definition, opinions on the extent of the terms vary greatly from person to person. Each person has their own idea on which actions are immoral as well as which are righteous. This allows each individual to judge others’ morality independently, creating space for different opinions on whether someone is good or evil. For instance, Adam’s method of hiding Cathy from Cal and Aron is questionable. “‘I wish there were some way you could tell the boys the truth.’ ‘That would rob them of the good thoughts about their mother, Lee.’ ‘Have you thought of the other danger?’ ‘Well, suppose they find out the truth’” (Steinbeck 355). In this part of the novel, Lee believes that Adam should have let the boys know the truth about Cathy, however Adam feels that he is protecting the boys and securing their well-being by lying to them. One could argue that it was a good choice to create the lie of Cathy’s death because it stopped any further questions about their absent mother as well as ensuring Cal and Aron’s happiness. However, another party could argue that the lie was completely immoral and wrong because it removed a vital part of the boys’ lives without a full explanation. Situations like these fall into a moral grey spot making the attempt to define one as good or evil completely