{"id":404,"date":"2013-07-26T15:40:37","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T19:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/?page_id=404"},"modified":"2013-07-26T15:40:37","modified_gmt":"2013-07-26T19:40:37","slug":"essay-4-east-of-eden","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/assignments-and-rubrics\/writing-assignments\/essay-4-east-of-eden\/","title":{"rendered":"Essay #4: East of Eden"},"content":{"rendered":"
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M<\/b>id-Term Essay<\/b><\/p>\n

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Choose one <\/i>of the following prompts:<\/p>\n

(1) \u00a0In East of Eden<\/i>, John Steinbeck\u2019s narrator states: \u201cI believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents\u201d (71).\u00a0 Choose one of the texts we have read thus far and discuss what it means to be a \u201cmonster\u201d within the context of that story. What does your text suggest are the main contributing factors to that person\u2019s monstrosity? \u00a0What possible contributing factors does your text not <\/i>consider? \u00a0Provide evidence of your claims.<\/p>\n

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(2) \u00a0In East of Eden<\/i>, Steinbeck writes, \u201cWho knows but that [Cathy] tried to tell someone or everyone what she was like and could not, for lack of a common language. \u00a0Her life may have been her language, formal, developed, indecipherable\u201d (182).\u00a0 Choose one of the characters we have studied thus far and examine his\/her attempts to make others hear their language.\u00a0 Are their attempts successful? \u00a0Why or why not? \u00a0Provide evidence of your claims.<\/p>\n

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(3) Choose one of the texts we have read thus far and examine a sampling of the scholarship associated with it.\u00a0 Pick at least two peer-reviewed essays written about the text you have chosen, and identify major ways in which the critics\u2019 opinion of the text may have differed, evolved, etc.\u00a0 Provide evidence of your claims.<\/p>\n

Your analysis should be a critical (as in, \u2018you are a critic,\u2019 not \u2018overwhelmingly negative\u2019) statement about the work and, to a lesser extent, its author. \u00a0It is not <\/i>your opinion of the piece in \u201cI liked it\/I didn\u2019t like it\u201d terms. \u00a0Instead, you should aim to assess the quality of the piece in relation to its place in academia.\u00a0 Possible questions for evaluation include: What are the author\u2019s credentials or authority on this topic? \u00a0Is the scope of their thesis appropriate, or is it too generalized or too focused to be successful? Does the author support their thesis adequately? \u00a0How does the content of this piece fit in, generally, with the other(s) you have chosen? \u00a0In what ways does the author(s) differentiate his\/her argument from those that came before them? \u00a0And so on.<\/p>\n

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Your final paper should be no less than three full pages and no more than four full pages.\u00a0 Your<\/p>\n

Works Cited page does not count as a part of your page length.<\/p>\n

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You are required to utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources to build your argument, in addition to the novel you choose.\u00a0 Review your notes from our library session with Josh Petrusa if you are unclear about what constitutes a scholarly resource.<\/p>\n

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Remember: Include an introduction, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion. \u00a0Use proper MLA style (typed, double-spaced [at zero point], Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins, heading on first page [your name, class, instructor\u2019s name, date], title, header with last name and page numbers, works cited page, etc).\u00a0 Refer to your Hacker Guide for additional grammatical guidance.<\/p>\n

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Please note that you will not be permitted to write your final paper on the same novel you choose for this essay.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You are required to visit the Writers\u2019 Studio for this essay.<\/p>\n

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DUE DATES:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The first draft of your essay is due via Moodle no later than 5:00 pm on Saturday, February 23.<\/p>\n

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You are required to complete two reviews of your classmates\u2019 drafts via Moodle the start of our class period on Tuesday, February 26.<\/p>\n

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Your final, revised essay is due via Moodle before our class begins on Thursday, February 28.<\/p>\n

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FYS 052<\/p>\n

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A Monster Born to Human Parents<\/p>\n

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The dispute between nature and nurture is one that brings many impassioned opinions to light.\u00a0 A tight foundation supports each side with resounding support from different areas in the scientific fields.\u00a0 These range from developmental psychology to experimental neurology. Within these complicated terms lies the opinion represented in John Steinbeck\u2019s novel, East of Eden. <\/i>The plot of this novel describes a story parallel to a story of two brothers from the bible named Cain and Able.\u00a0 Despite this reference to Eden and their lives, however, the novel also serves as an important instrument in discussing his views on how a human\u2019s mind is formed. Steinbeck explores the possibility of \u201ca twisted gene or a malformed egg\u201d producing \u201ca<\/p>\n

malformed soul.\u201d (Steinbeck, 71).\u00a0 He provides several examples of what he calls a \u201cmonster\u201d by nature through Charles, Cathy, and Cal Trask.\u00a0 Charles and Cal play the part of Cain and spend their lives fighting their natures.\u00a0 Cathy fills a similar role but represents a less human aspect to the character. \u00a0It is clear throughout the story that one can be born a \u201cmonster\u201d with little control over the impulses that are defined by that title–always tied by their natures.<\/p>\n

The first evidence of a born monster in the novel is seen in Charles Trask. \u00a0He is also the first embodiment of Cain.\u00a0 From his first appearance he is described as very different from his<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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brother.\u00a0 He is described with an angry temperament and regarded by his brother as \u201ca bright being of another species, gifted with muscle and bone, speed and alertness, quite on a different plane, to be admired as one admires the sleek lazy danger of a black leopard…\u201d (Steinbeck, 21). This separation from others defines the ostracizing nature he possesses.\u00a0 This is, in theory, what contributes to his violent and unpredictable temper.\u00a0 As he matures he realizes the monster within him and struggles with it throughout the rest of his life.\u00a0 Steinbeck brings the influence of nature into his comparison between the two brothers.\u00a0 Each developed with different temperaments and personal connections despite the militaristic form of nurturing from their father.\u00a0\u00a0 Charles\u2019 brother Adam, his direct opposite, was described with no desire for violence<\/p>\n

and no aptitude leaning toward strength.\u00a0 Charles is never able to overcome his inner demons and only avoids the results of his destructive personality through isolation.<\/p>\n

The nurture versus nature debate takes many forms within Steinbeck\u2019s novel.\u00a0 None of these speak as strongly as the character he has created in Cathy Trask.\u00a0 He depicts that \u201cshe was not like other people, never was from birth.\u201d And she did \u201cusing her difference, make a painful and bewildering stir in the world.\u201d (Steinbeck, 72).\u00a0 Within Cathy there is no need for change and an absence of empathy for the hurt she causes.\u00a0 She seems to relish the effect she has on the average person and uses it relentlessly.\u00a0 When she is confronted by her husband whom she shot and left ten years previously she reveals much of her personality and contempt for the human<\/p>\n

race.\u00a0 She admits, \u201cIt isn\u2019t hatred, its contempt.\u00a0 When I was a little girl I knew what stupid lying fools they were\u2026I knew I could make them do whatever I wanted. \u00a0I could always make people do what I wanted.\u201d (Steinbeck, 319).\u00a0 Through her revelations she is revealed for a monster in<\/p>\n

the true sense of the word.\u00a0 Even on her deathbed she shows no remorse or compassion for the acts committed in her life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The nature of Cathy can also be explicated more thoroughly in DNA & Destiny: Nature and Nurture in Human Behavior<\/i>, a novel written by R. Grant Steen.\u00a0 He describes in his text, the philosophies of nature versus nurture as applied first to animals, then to humans.\u00a0 This<\/p>\n

\u201cpervasive bias\u201d leads one to believe that \u201coften, by extension, human traits are seen to result from unfurling of an immutable program borne in the genes.\u201d (Steen, 22). \u00a0He then explains experiments between twins and the forces that influence their development. \u00a0These experiments had several inconsistencies but strengthened the argument that nature plays a major role.\u00a0 This is seen in Cathy, Charles, and Cal throughout Steinbeck\u2019s novel. \u00a0In the text he gives many examples as to the inevitability to their situations because of birth, not necessarily the way they were nurtured in childhood.\u00a0 Cathy, especially, defies her parentage as she grows with a twisted spirit.\u00a0 Her life growing up is described as an easy way of life with parents who believed strongly in \u201csparing the rod.\u201d \u00a0Her nature wins out though and she murders them as a matter of convenience.<\/p>\n

The third character to appear with monster-like tendencies is Cathy\u2019s son, Cal.\u00a0 He shows evidence at a young age of some of Cathy\u2019s characteristics.\u00a0 When considering his contemporaries and his younger brother he has manipulative and aggressive tendencies.\u00a0 He learned early in his development how to hurt his brother using \u201ctools.\u201d These tools are his instruments that he has found to cause mental havoc within those close to him.\u00a0 As Charles does, however, he struggles voraciously to fight these impulses. \u00a0In a psychology article Saul Mcleod discusses this link of genetic similarities to \u201cbehavioral tendencies, personality attributes, and mental abilities,\u201d and refers to the theory that these are already \u201c\u2019wired in\u2019 before we are even born.\u201d(Mcleod, 2).\u00a0 This is very evident within Cal as compared to his brother, Aron.\u00a0 Even though both were given a warm nurturing environment by their servant, Lee, each grew in a<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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different path.\u00a0 Cal received more of his mother\u2019s tendencies, which he attempts to fight with his whole being.\u00a0 This is as difficult for him as it is for Charles, however and he is only able to reduce these impulses by focusing his energies on helping his family.<\/p>\n

Enveloped within the story of the first murder between two brothers is an ongoing debate, which is still very heated.\u00a0 This is a philosophical and highly scientific issue that has yet to be conclusively proven by either side.\u00a0 Steinbeck in his novel, East of Eden<\/i>, through the use of several characters influences the reader to believe that humans are a product of nature.\u00a0 Cal and Charles are prime examples of those who are born monsters but find ways to control or suppress these instincts.\u00a0 On the extreme end of the spectrum is Cathy who was raised in a very nurturing environment, but grew warped with contempt for the human race. \u00a0In psychology it is not debatable that nature plays a crucial role and, in most cases, defies the ties of nurture.<\/p>\n

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Works Cited<\/p>\n

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McLeod, Saul. “Nature Nurture in Psychology<\/a>.” Nature Nurture <\/i>in Psychology<\/i><\/a>. N.p., n.d. Web.<\/p>\n

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20 Feb. 2013.<\/p>\n

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Steen, R. Grant. DNA & Destiny: Nature and Nurture in Human Behavior<\/i>. Perseus Publishing,<\/p>\n

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1996. Print.<\/p>\n

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Steinbeck, John. East of Eden<\/i>. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mid-Term Essay   Choose one of the following prompts: (1) \u00a0In East of Eden, John Steinbeck\u2019s narrator states: \u201cI believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents\u201d (71).\u00a0 Choose one of the texts we have read thus … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1509,"featured_media":0,"parent":252,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-404","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1509"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":406,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/404\/revisions\/406"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/fys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}