As I'm reading your essays, I realize that not many of you looked into the Biblical roots of the boys actual names. Frankly, I didn't really consider it either. We were so focused on Cain and Abel, that we didn't pause to consider if there was any significance to Caleb or Aaron, so...
I'm offering extra credit to the first student who can articulately answer the following questions (please only answer one of the three questions, so that someone else may tackle the others):
1) Who was the Biblical Caleb and why might Steinbeck have chosen this name out of all the "C" names possible?
2) Who was the Biblical Aaron and why might Steinbeck have chosen this name out of all the "A" names possible?
3) What significance is there to the transition from Aaron to Aron? Why might Steinbeck have done this?
Happy thinking. I look forward to your ideas.
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Caleb was one of the Israelites who went into the desert with Moses. Moses tells him and Joshua that they and the people under 20 of their group will reach the promised land because they had full faith in God that he could defeat all their enemies after they enter the promised land. After Moses dies Joshua leads the isrialites to the promised land and defeated all their enemies. Steinbeck may have chosen Caleb because he is important but kind of seems like a tag-a-long. Cal is always behind Aron and while he does stuff that is just as good he is diminished by Aron.
ReplyDeleteIn the Bible, Aaron does not make it to the Promised Land of Canaan. Perhaps this is one way that Steinbeck foreshadowed Aron's death. Also, the name Aaron could possibly mean "one of light" and in the book Aron is described as light-skinned, blond-haired. Another, more significant meaning of the name Aaron is "bearer of Martyrs". Originally, the word Martyr meant witness. This is important because in the New Testament witnesses often died from their testimonies, and in East of Eden Aron dies after he witnesses his mother working at the whorehouse.
ReplyDeleteLee explains to Samuel that Aron shortened his name because it seemed too fancy, too formal for a young boy growing up in rural Salinas. But the connection to the Bible remains strong as Aron proceeds to ask Samuel if he wants to go see his rabbits. Abel, a signficiant Bible character with an A name, cared for animals and was later murdered by his brother, Cain. The theme of good and evil is ongoing in human history and by shortening their names, Steinbeck may be giving the Trask boys’ situation a new cover on an old story. Steinbeck may also shorten Cal and Aron’s names in an effort to separate them from the biblical, historical past and their father and uncle’s names. In the end, Steinbeck illustrates the idea of timshel through Cal’s choices.
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