Thursday, July 1, 2010
class issues
Later in the year we will read the Great Gatsby, which has a lot to say about wealth. What constitutes true wealth in East of Eden? The Hamiltons and the Trasks are most explicitly differentiated by their relationship to money: though Sam Hamilton works hard he accumulates little, while Adam Trask moons and mourns and lives off the money acquired by his father. Think of different times that money is sought after or rejected by characters (such as Will Hamilton and Cal Trask) and the role that it plays to help and hinder them in realizing their dreams. Does the quest for money ever obscure deeper desires?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
A major question in American society is: do money and happiness come hand in hand? Many people would argue that, yes, it does but i believe the contrary and from reading East of Eden i would argue that Steinbeck also viewed the two as separate things. Many of Steinbeck's characters were on a quest for wealth because they thought it would buy them happiness, love, or affection. This it did not do. for example Cal was trying to aquire wealth by investing with Will Hamilton in order to win his fathers affection. When he had finally made the millions of dollars and gave them to his father Adam rejected them and Cal's plan was a complete disaster that ripped his family apart instead of bringing it closer together. On the other hand Sam Hamilton was never seeking wealth and was seemingly one of the most content and joyous characters in the novel despite his poverty. Perhaps Steinbeck is commenting that wealth and happiness are two completely separate issues and you cannot buy someone else's or our own feelings no matter how wealthy you become.
ReplyDelete