I am woman....hear me roar.....
9 years ago
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Sibling Rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a crushing reoccurrence in East of Eden. First Adam and his brother Charles, then Adam's sons Cal and Aron, act out a drama of jealousy and competition that seems fated: Lee calls the story of Cain and Abel the "symbol story of the human soul." Why do you think this is so, or do you disagree? Have you ever experienced or witnessed such a rivalry? Do all of the siblings in the book act out this drama or do some escape it? If so, how? If all of the "C" characters seem initially to embody evil and all the "A" characters good—in this novel that charts the course of good and evil in human experience—is it true that good and evil are truly separate? Are the C characters also good, the A characters capable of evil?
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3 comments:
I haven't experienced that kind of sibling rivalry and I don't believe I have witnessed it either. Sometimes siblings have quarrels or compete against each other or may not have close relationships but I have not seen the Cain and Abel rivalry. I think that anyone is capable of making wrong decisions and I don't think in this human experience that anyone is all right or all wrong (except for Cathy persons!) but choices can make one either more good or more evil. Cal felt he had the tendancy to more evil but wanted so much to be good and that would be the choice that would make him lean toward good.
I have seen favoritism in most families and even rivalry and jealousy. I do not relate to this because I am my siblings biggest fan (even though I am not the favorite), but I can see how pride can create blinding jealousy in some people. I agree that Cain and Abel is a story of the human soul, but not the only one. We all have different demons battling for our souls and this illustrates one of the first ones that every played out in the world and which has played out repeatedly since then.
As for good and evil they are complete opposites, but never truly separate because they both exist in all of us. That is why God and Satan are in a constant battle to bring out the potential for good or evil that they see in us.
Agreed.
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