Coming of Age in John Steinbeck's East of Eden

As time passes, it seems that each generation gets weaker and weaker. Cases of asthma, allergies and various other sicknesses increase with each year. This increase in ailments is the result of society as a whole becoming too clean. Some exposure to germs is beneficial.

Similarly, it is beneficial for people to be exposed to some trauma as they are coming of age. People who had a lack of adversity in their childhood are particularly vulnerable to panic when trauma does eventually occur (Rando). The lack of adversity in childhood yields no opportunity for practice in coping with conflict or opposition to one's assumptive world. The assumptive world, as explained by Jeffrey Kauffman, is "a psychological principle of the conservation of human reality or 'culture' [...] It includes our interpretation of the past and our expectations of the future" (2). Kauffman also explains that "Assumptive worlds are constant internal constructs, and change is the disruption of the constancy of these constructs. Change also prompts the need to conserve, or maintain constancy" (2). As illustrated in John Steinbeck's depiction of Cal, Aron, and Adam as well as the use of Biblical allegory in the novel East of Eden, adversity is an essential part of the coming of age process because it grants those enduring the adversity with the consequential experiential knowledge to reassess and effectively manage more complex confrontations to their assumptive worlds as adults. Therefore, conflict is even the very thing that defines coming of age. That is, those who mature in conditions where there is a pronounced lack of adversity must rely on juvenile coping management skills although physically they are adults.

The juxtaposition of the two brothers Cal and Aron within East of Eden illustrates two different coming of age processes and the implications of each. East of Eden is a novel mostly depicting the events surrounding the Trask family. Adam is the father to twins, Cal and Aron. Their mother, Cathy (also known as Kate), leaves right after their birth. Instead of telling them of their mother's abandonment, Adam raises the boys to believe that their mother is dead. In reality, she moves to a nearby town and becomes the mistress of a whore house. Aron grows up under seemingly perfect circumstances, free of adversity. However, his lack of childhood trauma renders him entirely too trusting of the people around him. He forms his assumptive world based on a skewed view of reality. In contrast, Cal is forced to deal with minor adversity as he is constantly rejected by his father and his peers while growing up. As a result, he accumulates effective coping mechanisms to handle threats to his assumptive world: "[Cal] had built a wall of self-sufficiency around himself, strong enough to defend him against the world" (Steinbeck 440).These rejections condition Cal to handle the real world.

The experiences that occur during the coming of age process are of utmost importance; they form the foundations of the assumptive world. Rokeach makes three very important points: First, that "not all beliefs are equally important to the individual; beliefs vary along a central-peripheral dimension" (3), second, "the more central a belief, the more it will resist change" (3), and lastly, "the more central the belief changes, the more widespread the repercussions in the rest of the belief system" (3). Rokeach asserts that "man's beliefs [...] become somehow organized into architectural systems having describable and measurable structural properties which, in turn have observable behavioral consequences" (1). Around these foundations, there are the peripheral elements that must undergo constant revision when faced with adversity later in life. The ability to make these revisions based on former experiential knowledge is necessary for emotional resiliency. If the core elements of the assumptive world are in some way defective (e.g., unrealistic, based on delusions), complications will inevitably occur in the face of adversity. Individuals with histories free of adversity are more likely to possess these defective core elements.

Both brothers have the inherent capacity to develop effective coping strategies. Children who have a close relationship with at least one caregiver and aptitude in any one aspect of their lives (which leads to increased self-esteem) prove to be more resilient adolescents (Neighbors, et al 469). Cal has a close relationship with Lee and demonstrates an exceptional amount of business sense: he is able to invest and profit enough money to cover his father's losses. Aron is very close to his father, a good student and popular among his peers. However, the dividing factor in the development of the two boys is the formation of their assumptive worlds. While Cal gains an arsenal of effective coping mechanisms from a young age, Aron demonstrates immense emotional immaturity. The cause for this emotional immaturity is his lack of strife in childhood.

Aron's lack of maturity in regard to his ability to emotionally adjust is illustrated throughout the novel. He retains a child-like selfishness. When he makes the decision to become a priest, he shows apparent disregard for his relationship with Abra, his childhood sweetheart; the decision comes after they had already planned to get married and start a family. This theme is concurrent with Abra's later assertion that "When you're a child you're the center of everything. Everything happens for you. [...] But when you grow up you take your place and you're your own size and shape. Things go out of you to others and come in from other people. It's worse, but it's much better too" (Steinbeck 576). Aron's self-centeredness is a sign of immaturity. He is also extremely naïve. The homogeneity of Aron's life experiences leads him to an over generalized perception of the world. He views everything and everyone as either entirely good or entirely evil. The cycle is only perpetuated as Aron becomes more involved with the Episcopal church and looks to Mr. Rolf, a clergyman as a role model: "Aron's training in worldliness was gained from a young man of no experience, which gave him the ability for generalization only the inexperienced can have" (Steinbeck 446). His worldview is based on false assumptions about his environment; he assumes that his mother is dead and that his father is without fault.

In contrast to his brother, Cal has an extremely realistic view of himself and of others. He is so alienated from the rest of society that he spends most of his time walking alone at night and witnesses the transgressions of man firsthand as he sees men gambling, in bars, etcetera. Furthermore, he slowly becomes aware of the true whereabouts of his mother: "His knowledge accumulated slowly, a reference heard in the street, the gibing talk in the pool hall. If Aron had heard the fragments he would not have noticed, but Cal collected them" (Steinbeck 441). Cal's attempt to shield Aron from the knowledge indicates that it is a source of strife. Furthermore, Cal's perception of Aron's inability to effectively cope with the knowledge is a testament to Cal's emotional sophistication. The knowledge of Cathy's true fate represents general experiential knowledge. Cal is able to amass the knowledge and put it to use later. The wisdom Cal gains also allows him to create a more real connection with his father.

After bailing Cal out of jail after a minor infraction, his father, Adam, confides in him that he "was a prisoner for nearly a year [...] when I escaped I robbed a store and stole some clothes" (Steinbeck 450). The father and son are able to connect because they are alike in their imperfection, more specifically, their criminal records. According to Sheffield, in the context of East of Eden, "It is essential that each individual have the knowledge of good and evil" (6). By acknowledging the shortcomings of the people around him, specifically his father, he realizes that he has freedom of choice. Although his father has made mistakes in the past, Cal realizes that he is still a respectable being and a worthy positive role model: "Cal had lost his wonder at the golden relationship with his father but the pleasure remained [...] He wanted to serve his father, to give him some great gift, to perform some huge good task in honor of his father" (Steinbeck 453). Consequently, he is able to consider the real experiences of himself and others when faced with his later existential confrontation and, as a result, maintain hope for the future.

The people Aron chooses for role models and his perceptions of those people contribute to his insufficient crisis management skills: For example, his relationship with Abra. He perceives Arba as a parental figure rather than as a romantic interest. For example, when playing together as children, Aron explicitly asks Abra to "pretend like you're my mother" (422). They also build a sort of house for themselves in a willow tree that they return to multiple times: "Abra parted the switches like a curtain and went into the house of leaves made against the willow trunk by the sweeping branches" (Steinbeck 421). According to Rank, "the primitive man created huts, houses, and so on, in order to replace the lost maternal body" (qtd. in Bonomi 47).This misplaced affection for Abra is yet another falsity for Aron to form his assumptive world around.

Adam is also a role model for Aron, based on certain delusions Aron has accrued during his coming of age - specifically that Adam is infallible. According to Rokeach, "A delusion is a belief [...] [which has] no objective basis and which is, in fact, wrong" (125). Furthermore, the foundations of Aron's worldview are established around these delusions. Because Aron's assumption of his father's infallibility is never challenged, he "has no way of knowing that the power [he] perceives [...] is exaggerated" (Liechty 88). Therefore, when faced with the truth about his mother in the end of the novel, Aron is not only faced with the arduous task of rearranging the peripheral elements of his assumptive world, but also with the shattering of the core elements of this assumptive world, alternatively known as an existential crisis. He is without the "sufficient prior experiences to enable [him] to cope successfully with assumptive world violation" (Rando 172). This leads to Aron's ultimate downfall. Already crippled by his lack of effective coping mechanisms garnered as a child, Abra and Adam act as Aron's crutch. When confronted with their true identities, which conflict with the roles they fill in his assumptive world, that crutch is essentially pulled out from under him. When discussing Aron's extreme reaction to finding out about his mother, Abra reflects that "Aron didn't grow up. Maybe he never will. He wanted the story and he wanted it to come out his way. He couldn't stand to have it come out any other way" (Steinbeck 575). This statement confirms Aron's emotional immaturity as well as the fact that the truth was in direct conflict with his already existing world view.

A lack of practice in confronting challenges or opposition to existing worldviews yields those in this position ill-equipped to face any variance to existing schemas, let alone one of the immensity with which Aron is confronted. Irene Smith Landsman states that "a variety of factors" (26) determine an individual's ability to adjust in the time following a traumatic event: "It may be that in these cases, attributions such as behavioral self-blame help to restore assumptions of control over future events and that a continued search for meaning will not be necessary. These particular survivors may, in fact, return to baseline" (26). People who fall into this category are generally those who are practiced in the art of assumptive world revision. People who do not fall into this category commonly follow one of the other two paths of adjustment described by Landsman which carry two very different possible outcomes: despair and transcendence. The significance of this is the possibility of despair, the conclusion that life is no longer "worthy of emotional investment" (Landsman 28). This occurs when "basic assumptions cannot be restored" (Landsman 27) because the victim lacks the coping mechanisms to maintain their basic assumptive world. That is not to say that not everyone is susceptible to the crises of extraordinary meaning or existential confrontation that characterizes the latter path of adjustment. The probability of a crisis of extraordinary means is largely dependent on the amount of sophistication of an individual's crisis management. For a person who demonstrates subpar crisis management skills, a crisis of extraordinary means will occur after an event that a person with more experiential knowledge would find to be less significant, perhaps even trivial. Furthermore, Liechty's asserts that "stability in the mental and emotional reconstructing of a newly functioning assumptive world is directly related to the diversity of the sources from which it is constituted" (91). Therfore, experiential knowledge also increases the odds of overcoming a crisis of extraordinary means, finding transcendence rather than despair.

The extreme Biblical allegory used throughout the novel also suggests the importance of knowledge of both good and evil-a knowledge which is gained through experiencing adversity. According to Sheffield, in Steinbeck's choice to use "the Cain and Abel story, the novel becomes a story about how the offspring of Adam and Eve come to know the world" (8). And so, the fictional Adam Trask comes to represent the Biblical Adam. In the story of Adam and Eve, God placed them in the Garden of Eden, asking only that they do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Of course, they eventually do eat the forbidden fruit. According to Michael Bradley, "Before they had eaten off of this forbidden tree, [...] they literally were allowed to run naked in this garden. They had no shame in doing this. They were as innocent and pure as little children." The Garden of Eden seems to be largely symbolic of childhood. This symbolism suggests that by gaining knowledge of evil, Adam and Eve essentially come of age. As punishment for eating the forbidden fruit, "In addition to banishing both of them out of this garden, God now pronounces a curse on them, their descendants, and on the earth in general" (Bradley).Therefore, because this story pertains to all of mankind, it is logical to assume that everyone must have knowledge of both good as well as evil in order to become adults and to cope with an imperfect world.

By extension, the story of Cain and Abel, as reflected in the story of Cal and Aron further illustrates the negative implications of maintaining a childlike psyche when thrust into the somewhat menacing world of adulthood. It is understood that Cain slew his brother, Abel after God accepted Abel's sacrifice above Cain's. However, after exploring the subject further, many other elements to the story have been largely disregarded. According to Levin, "Abel was bad, physically, intellectually, socially, and perhaps genetically." In the time before being banished from the Garden of Eden, it seems that Cain was responsible for caring for his disabled brother. Similarly, Cal takes great care to protect his brother, perceiving his fragility: "A panic arose in him [Cal] [...] It was Aron who couldn't take care of himself" (Steinbeck 565). However, it is understood by Cain that he is not responsible for his brother after being banished: "the story implies that the guarding/keeping [...] is not relevant outside of Eden"(Swenson 5). In this context, when the question "Am I my brother's keeper?" is asked by both Cain and Cal, it is a genuine question. This question suggests that outside the Garden of Eden, or the state of childhood it symbolizes, Abel and Aron should be able to take care of themselves but cannot because of some defect. In Aron's case, the defect is his overly optimistic, childish worldview which is that result of his excessively idyllic upbringing.

The notion that conflict is the source of adult wisdom is further supported by Adam's delayed coming of age process. When going to visit Kate after finding out her true whereabouts, Kate says to him, "You were such a fool. Like a child [...] [Now] You seem to be a man." To this, Adam responds, "You have taught me. It was a pretty sharp lesson" (Steinbeck 317). This exchange suggests that Adam did not reach manhood until he was able to perceive his wife as she truly was-evil. Prior to this confrontation, Adam lives his life in a much dissociated state. He seems to be simply going through the motions as life passes him by, failing to make connections with other people, even his own sons. After realizing the true nature of his wife, he is able to move on without her and appreciate the good things in life. He eventually comes to understand the meaning of timshel.

The knowledge and understanding of the theory of timshel by characters in East of Eden is crucial in that allows for each of the characters to maintain hope following traumatic events. According to Sheffield, "Steinbeck's doctrine of timshel deals with the ability of humankind to choose between good and evil" (13). Literally, timshel allows each person to be in control of their own lives and destinies even after being confronted by adversity. In the story, it is reflected that the different translations of the Bible-specifically the message given to Cain by God after murdering his brother, Abel-each hold different implications for man's ability to overcome the sin of his father. In East of Eden, Lee comes to this conclusion:

"The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in 'Thou Shalt,' meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel- 'Thou mayest'-that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on man. For if 'Thou mayest'-it is also true that 'Thou mayest not.'"(301)

Therefore, in the context of East of Eden, the understanding of timshel is vital in that it allows many of the characters to maintain hope for the future while simultaneously acknowledging the evil of their pasts and the world around them. According to Irene Smith Landsman, "Ordinary meaningfulness probably includes a sense that life has a structure that is both comprehensible and satisfying; that we understand the world [...] and that we feel sufficiently able to negotiate its demands and achieve our goals" (14). Aron is not able to integrate the evils of his environment with his assumptive world. In contrast, Cal cannot help but to see the evil and imperfection in his environment; he begins encountering it from a very young age. However, because he is so practiced in confronting iniquity, he is able to accept even his own shortcomings and still find life to be "worthy of emotional investment" (Landsman 28).

After carefully examining John Steinbeck's East of Eden, it is evident that to effectively function in the dysfunctional realm of adulthood, it is essential to understand all of the complexities that go along with it. Negative experiences lead to greater appreciation for positive experiences. More importantly, though, the accurate perception of all of the good and bad elements that make up the world- even man himself -and our ability to change those perceptions when necessary allows for successful navigation of life's inherent obstacles. Childhood adversity and the resulting experiential knowledge play a key role in the development of the effective and useful coping skills which separate adults and juveniles.

Works Cited

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Bradley, Michael. "Story of Adam and Eve." Bible-Knowledge.com. 2005. Bible Knowledge Ministries. 5 Dec 2007. .

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Landsman, Irene Smith. "Crises of Meaning in Trauma and Loss." Loss of the Assumptive World. New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2002.

Levin, Schneir. "Cain versus Abel." Judaism: A Quarterly Journal of Jewish Life and Thought 53. 1-2 (Wntr-Spring 2004): 51 (4). Academic OneFile. Gale. Emerson College. 7 Dec 2007. .

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Neighbors, Bryan, Rex Forehand, and Dave McVicar. "Resilient Adolescents and Interparental Conflict." American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 63.3 (1993): 462-471.

Rando, Therese A. "The 'Curse' of Too Good a Childhood." Loss of the Assumptive World. New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2002.

Rokeach, Milton. Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1968.

Sheffield, Renee. "The Glory of Choice." Diss. Eastern University, 2005.

Steinbeck, John. East of Eden. New York: Penguin Books, 2002.

Swenson, Kristin M. "Care and keeping east of Eden: Gen 4:1-16 in light of Gen 2-3." Interpretation. 60.4 (Oct 2006): 373(12). Academic OneFile. Gale. Emerson College. 7 Dec 2007. .