Generazioni a confronto: East of Eden tra riscrittura biblica, sibling rivalry e virilità
East of Eden tra riscrittura biblica, sibling rivalry e virilità
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13136/2281-4582/2026.i27.1742Parole chiave:
John Steinbeck, Bible Studies, Cain and Abel, Steinbeck Studies, Anglo-American LiteratureAbstract
The article focuses on the Trask family and on the parallels between the two generations of Trask brothers and the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Steinbeck’s rewriting of this episode elicits a reframing of the meaning of such a story, proposing a new reading of Cain as a penitent rather than as an archetype of fratricide. The concept of ‘timshel’ allows the author to explore the theme of the struggle between good and evil, as well as to highlight the human power embedded in the possibility of choosing how to act and react.
The analysis begins with the contextualization of the story of Cain and Abel in the novel East of Eden, then proceeds to expose the links between the biblical characters and the ones written by Steinbeck, relating the ways in which the latter are symbolical representations of the former, with a deep insight of the first and second generation of Trask brothers.
Thereafter, the essay analyses some of the male characters of East of Eden and the different kinds of virility expressed through them. It delves into their understanding of the concepts of virility and violence, and how those notions influence the parental duties and therefore family bonds, fueling sibling rivalry. The last section of the article deepens the topic of the human conflict between good and evil and its universality, returning to the concept of ‘timshel’ and showing how the characters face the internal struggle.
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