...In John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden, there is a reoccurring theme of good v evil that appears in all of the characters in this novel. Steinbeck believes that the story of good v evil is the only story in this world that all people struggle with and have to come to a conclusion about. All people will be faced with the final questions; was their life good or bad? Will people remember them as a good person or a bad person? Will their legacy live on or die with them? This struggle is fought by every generation who has to face the same ancient questions time and time again. Steinbeck believes that humans never have and never will learn from the past and overcome this but will continue to fight this battle for all eternity. The theme of good v evil is not of them as polar opposites but as the struggle between them. Every character in this novel struggles with this but some of them give up and decide to go completely one way or another. “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’” (Steinbeck 303). All the characters in this novel that believe in thou mayest struggle the most with good and evil because they know there is a choice and they can choose to go one way or the other. They do not just have to go one way because they think it is in their genes or because they are being pushed...
Words: 2197 - Pages: 9
...Lee was the most stable character in East of Eden, it is difficult to explain how he was swayed or pulled by the forces of good and evil. There was certainly both good surrounding him and evil surrounding him, but Lee was such a genuine person, that there is no telling how exactly these forces acted upon him. Lee was always a servant to Adam, who views himself as inherently good, actually imposed the most wrongdoings out of all the characters (besides Cathy). Cathy really did not phase Lee or try to pull him in any directions because she, described by the narrator, was a “monster” who “was not like other people,” (72). Lee had acknowledged that there was something amiss about Cathy when he spoke with Samuel Hamilton, but Cathy only affected his life through those around him. The fact that she abandoned Adam and the twins forced Lee to take on the role of not only the twins mother, but their father as well. Adam is the type of man who brings others down with him and while he was never able to bring Lee down, it is obvious that Lee feels slightly used, despite his being a servant, “’I’ll lay aside my Oriental manner. I’m getting old and cantankerous. I am growing impatient. Haven’t you heard of all Chinese servants that when they get old they remain loyal but they turn mean?’” (373). Lee had always offered up his advice for Adam on the whim and by the beginning of their elderly years, Lee seems to become colder and less willing to coddle those around him. Adam Trask is by no means...
Words: 314 - Pages: 2
...Making things worse in the Middle East Over the past few months, the Middle East has become an even more violent place than usual. Iraq is now once again home to one of the most bloody civil wars in the world, after Syria of course, which is the worst. Watching these horrors unfold, many in the United States are convinced that this is Washington’s fault or that, at the very least, the Obama administration’s “passive” approach toward the region has allowed instability to build. In fact, the last thing the region needs is more U.S. intervention. The Middle East is in the midst of a sectarian struggle, like those between Catholics and Protestants in Europe in the age of the Reformation. These tensions are rooted in history and politics and will not easily go away. Three factors have led us to this state of affairs. First, the structure of Middle Eastern states. The modern Middle East was created by the colonial powers at the end of World War I. The states the British and French created, often with little forethought, were composed of disparate groups that had no history of being governed as one entity. Iraq, for example, was formed by putting together three Ottoman provinces that had little in common. The colonial powers often chose a set of rulers who came from a minority group. (It was a cunning strategy. A minority regime always needs the help of some outside force to rule.) Thus the French, when facing a nationalist insurgency in Syria in the 1930s and 1940s, recruited...
Words: 840 - Pages: 4
...Chapter 10 2. Can the U.S stop the flow of drugs from South America? What has been our track record so far? This is a simple as supply and demand , America is the demand and South America is the supply. This is a big money organization, the cartels are making millions weekly shipping drugs from South America to America. America and Mexico has made efforts in stepping up security at the boarders to catch the mules who attempt to bring the drugs into America. The boarders being so long and not enough agents to protect them, it is impossible to watch or catch everyone who sneaks across. The Cartel do not mind a couple of shipments being seized by the police, because they know for or five more shipments made it across the border for big profits. Cartels use the poor people of their regions to carry these drugs across the border, giving them anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to food for there family, this is more then what they have so they do not mind taking the chance to carry this out. They also know if they get caught or loose the load they may be killed or their family’s may be harmed, so they are willing to go to any lengths to accomplish the mission. Plus another problem America is facing and will have to battle in this fight is corruption, several Mexican officials and police have been known to be on the cartels pay roll so they look the other way when it comes to trafficking. So to answer this question can the flow of drugs...
Words: 1200 - Pages: 5
...The Future of the Middle East We often think of the Middle East as a volatile region, but for a time experts saw the region as relatively stable. Entrenched authoritarian regimes were seen as pillars of the region that rested on their coercive apparatus as well as rentierism to maintain their rule. Thus, it came as a shock to experts when the Arab Spring bulldozed regimes that had been in power for as long as forty years. The hope of the Arab Spring was to eradicate the despotic rulers of the Middle East and replace them with democratic institutions. However, this hope has not been realized as civil war, failures of newly democratic institutions and unscathed monarchies continue to plague the region. Still, the Arab Spring is in its infant stage. The outcomes in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria remain to be seen while it appears that the monarchies of the region are stronger than ever. The future of the Middle East will be divided between the monarchies and the republics. The monarchies will most likely keep the status quo (with the help of the United States) while the republics will shape the future of democracy in the region. While it is impossible to predict the future of the Middle East due to a number of factors including the Arab-Israeli and Kurdish conflicts and the drying of oil wells, most experts on the Middle East would agree with the notion that monarchies will continue to remain unscathed in comparison to their non-monarchical neighbors. However, these same people...
Words: 1545 - Pages: 7
...The East Asian Community Before the East Asian Summit, which aimed to promote economic and political cooperation in the region, was held in Malaysia in December 2005, many people had questioned whether the East Asian Community was really emerging. However, although the EAS ended with the issuance of the Kuala Lumper Declaration, it is not wrong to conclude that a goal to bring Asia together is still too far to reach. The Summit left many points that support the conclusion. First of all, the criteria to join the EAS are indefinite. When member countries are not geographically East Asian, there will be a problem in creating a sense of East Asian regionalism. Inevitably, the EAS must open to the big powers like the U.S. and India although their joining not only drags a conflict from outside but also intensifies the tension between China and Japan. The U.S. will try to balance Russia while India will try to exclude Pakistan from the EAS. And two countries may help Japan containing China instead of being mediator. Their presence may lead to political tensions and obscure the EAS progress. Second of all, it is difficult to reconcile the future relationship between the EAS-APEC, and the EAS-ASEAN Plus Three framework. Some Chinese scholars and officials want the EAS to be the Asian coordinating group of APEC, but this needs India to join APEC. In addition, the Kuala Lumper Declaration stated that the EAS would not replace or be an alternative to the A+3. Does this mean that the...
Words: 802 - Pages: 4
...Chapter 8 1. How has Islam shaped conceptions of music for the peoples of the Middle East? In the Middle East, Islam is not just a religion; it is a way of life. Islam’s influence spread in the Middle East music conceptions. For example, the Arabic scale is strongly melodic, based around various maqamat or modes. Also, Mann explains that “under the wide rule of Islam, vulgar lyrics and suggestive dancing by women became illegal. Much post-Islamic music is used in ceremonial dance and recreation. (Mann)” In the Middle East, people may hear their songs of praise and prayer. The “World Music: A global Journey, says that “in addition to being suspicious of the sensual aspects of music Islamic aesthetics frowns on realistic representation in art, especially of the human form, to avoid the temptation toward idol worship. But as with sound, it may not always be obvious to outsiders what is considered art and what is not. (Miller 255)” Because, the influence of Islam has had great impact on people related with music, and people used to meditation, trance, and self-flagellation with one’s a higher sense of God while listening music. 2. What is modal improvisation? Is it primarily a compositional or a freely expressive form of performance? According to Henry, modal improvisation is that “a typical modal tune may have only two or three chords, and each may last 8 or even 16 measures. In one sense, modal playing is much easier than playing changes, since it does not require your brain...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...Throughout the past years racism in the Middle East has increased dramatically, especially religious racism. Religious racism in the Middle East is more than gender or race (1). Religious racism can be found more in country like Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon (1).However some other form of racism likes ethnic can be found in many Middle Eastern countries. Religious racism has started to occur in most of the Middle Eastern country, since the invasion of Muslims people to country like Egypt and Lebanon in the seventh century. When Muslims invaded these country all the people who lived at these country were Christian, so Muslims started to collect taxes from Christian and treat them like slaves. Muslim enforced Christian to change their religious to Islam if they didn’t pay these taxes or don’t like Muslims is treatment and rule. Now day, Christian in the Middle East doesn’t pay tax to Muslim but they get less job opportunity, face a lot of difficulty if they want built churches or make some renewal to a church. For example, in Egypt, Christian need to get permission from the president of the country to built churches and after getting this permission they face a lot of trouble from the city is government. On the other hand Muslim built their praying house Mosques without facing any problem; these Mosques is build by the government and all future expenses gets funded it by the government. Also the constitution...
Words: 866 - Pages: 4
...Shaun C. O’Malley Sociology 310 M&F Novel Analysis East of Eden I must admit that I was not happy when I saw that I had to do a book report. When given the list of books to read, I thought to myself just clothes your eyes, point, and which ever one your finger is on you will read. that finger of mine landed on East of Eden, and wow did I luck out! This saga of two families the Trask family in Connecticut and the Hamilton family in California. This saga of two brothers, Charles and Adam Trask, then Cal and Aron Trask in the next generation. This saga of families and friends, Samuel Hamilton, his wife, his children Will, Olive, Tom and Dessie Hamilton, as well as Lee the Chinese American friend and caretaker of Adam Trask and his sons, did not disappoint. The oldest stories are retold in East of Eden, good versus evil and brother versus brother. There is racism, violence, blindness, betrayal, and deceit. There is love, father to son, brother to brother, man and woman, and friend to friend. The characters are complex no one is totally good or absolutely evil, even Cathy has a human layer. East of Eden is the biblical Cain and Abel story replayed. The conflict of brothers is powerful in both generations. The book begins by describing Samuel and his family living in Salinas Valley. After describing Samuel and his family, we are introduced to the Trask family namely the father of the family Cyrus Trask, who was an army veteran. His wife died after his first child named...
Words: 2578 - Pages: 11
...“New trends of Middle East Economy” Middle East Economy Background Main economic sectors & main actors Current trends with alternative investment apart from oil industry” by Panakant Raschasri 5303640691 Middle East Economy Background The economic structure of Middle Eastern nations are different in the sense that while some nations are heavily dependent on export of only oil and oil-related products (such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait), others have a highly diverse economic base (such as Cyprus, Israel, Turkey and Egypt). Industries of the Middle Eastern region include oil and oil-related products, agriculture, cotton, cattle, dairy, textiles, leather products, surgical instruments, defense equipment (guns, ammunition, tanks, submarines, fighter jets, UAVs, and missiles). Banking is also an important sector of the economies, especially in the case of UAE and Bahrain. Main economic sectors & main actors Middle Eastern Oil-Exporting Countries The oil exporters comprise 12 countries: the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) and Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and Yemen. Together, they account for 65 percent of global oil reserves and 45 percent of natural gas reserves. The countries are mainly exporters of oil, gas, and refined products, with oil and gas contributing about 50 percent to GDP and80 percent to revenue. They are diverse and differ substantially in terms of per...
Words: 3601 - Pages: 15
...www.ccsenet.org/res Review of European Studies Vol. 4, No. 3; July 2012 Europe and the Middle East: From Imperialism to Liberal Peace? Raymond Hinnebusch1 1 School of International Relations, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK Correspondence: Raymond Hinnebusch, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX, Scotland, UK. Tel: 44-1334-462-861. E-mail: rh10@st-andrews.ac.uk Received: November 24, 2011 Accepted: April 26, 2012 Online Published: July 1, 2012 doi:10.5539/res.v4n3p18 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/res.v4n3p18 Abstract Europe’s relation with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is discussed in the context of normative (International Society) and materialist approaches (World System’s Theory). First, European imperialism’s export of a flawed Westphalian state system is summarized. How Europe is “caught” between MENA and the US and co-opted into a division of labour toward the region is then surveyed. The gap between the normative rhetoric and actual inequitable outcomes and structures constructed under the Euro-Mediterranean partnership is examined, looking at the three “baskets” of economic developmental, political reform and cultural convergence. Four “hard cases,” EU policies toward Palestine, Iran, Syria and Turkey, illustrate the ambiguities of the EU’s approach to MENA. MENA public opinion’s ambivalence toward Europe reflects these realities. The conclusion is that the EU’sMENA policy...
Words: 11398 - Pages: 46
...Daniel Barton October 27, 2014 Religious Literature Transient and Permanent Qualities in East of Eden: The Relationship Between Good and Evil Torben Grodal talked of art film as possessing two basic elements, transient and permanent, but they are also seen in the novel East of Eden. Steinbeck creates scenes that at first have a transient quality, and then purposefully connects to a permanent nature. These permanent qualities, grappled with by the Trask’s and Lee, examine the never ending battle between good and evil. In the novel East of Eden, John Steinbeck constructs scenes that have an initial transient quality, but then persistently associates these with a permanent nature that examines the conflict between good and evil. Steinbeck portrays Cathy as a very evil character, someone who is just inexplicably evil and makes several allusions to her being a monster and devil. When first introducing the reader to Cathy, Steinbeck writes about the creation of monsters, an obvious parallel. He goes on to say that, “monsters are variations from the accepted normal to a greater or a less degree. As a child may be born without an arm, so one may be born without kindness or the potential of conscience” (72). He wastes no time in comparing a monster to Cathy. He believes that Cathy is not an ordinary evil either, but that she is a very abstract form of evil, the exact idea of evil and that she has no good in her body. Steinbeck does not only believe that Cathy is a monster, but...
Words: 1320 - Pages: 6
...Women in the Middle East 1. Introduction 2. Before Islam 3. After Islam 4. Marriage 5. Education 6. Modern Day -Examples from different Arab countries -Arab Spring 7. What’s next? 8. Citations 1. Introduction Over the course of history, women in the Middle East, not so much different than around the world, haven’t been attaining all their full rights and haven’t been quite satisfied with the status of gender equality that the world continues to lack. The Middle East has its more than enough share with this ever-continuing phenomenon. The situation changes with every passing day, as it is affected by our effervescently changing political and social status. Religion has played an enormous role in the matter, as did politics, economy, and social standards. Women’s rights have increased and decreased soon before it was satisfactory enough. This continues and will continue to happen until women find themselves satisfied in our men-driven society. In order for one to judge the current and possible future status, we must understand the past and how women’s rights evolved to become where it is right now. 2. Before Islam Women before the dawn of Islam had practically no legal status in opposition to the traditional and standard tribal laws. Their own fathers sold them to their husbands or legal guardians; they had no choice in the matter and could be left at anytime according to the spouse’s will. They had no private property or...
Words: 2859 - Pages: 12
...CHAPTER 1: A GENERAL VIEW ABOUT THE MIDDLE-EAST 1. General Overview of Middle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and North Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East. The corresponding adjective is Middle-Eastern and the derived noun is Middle-Easterner. ▪ Traditional definition of the Middle East: Egypt, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Turkey, Cyprus, UAE, Oman, Yemen. ▪ Population: estimated 2010 about 350 million. ▪ Situated between Asia, Europe and Africa. Throughout its history, the Middle East has been a major centre of world affairs. ▪ The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate. ▪ In modern times the Middle East remains a strategically, economically, politically, culturally and religiously sensitive region. The Middle East expected economic growth rate is at about 4.1% for 2010 and 5.1% in 2011. [pic] 2. Religions The Middle East is very diverse when it’s come to religions, many of which is originated there. Islam is the largest religion. Besides, Judaism and Christianity are also important there. There are still many branches in each religion. 1.3 Languages Three top languages based on numbers of speaker: ▪ Arabic: Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the Middle East, the influence of Arabic has been most important in Islam countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait...
Words: 6481 - Pages: 26
...International Political Science 8 October, 2013 World Bank: The East Asian Miracle The East Asian Miracle is described as a historic series of events and policies that led to the economic growth of twenty-three East-Asian economies from the 1960s to the 1990s. Each economy was impacted differently thus the most important due to the degree of change would be: Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Thailand. A combination of many policies and government turned these developing nations into industrial leaders of the world. These changes didn’t occur without government stimulation and policy changes, some of which were directed towards market and some towards state. Each policy had to be tailored to a country’s specific dilemma, many of these countries suffered from different problems and had to be addressed as such. Eventually, each of these led to many outcomes which together became the rapid growth of the Eastern Asian economies such as: increase of real income per capita, balancing the margin between income inequalities, human welfare, and more. Government intervention and actions are usually a good thing depending on what the desired outcome is, but too much of it can be detrimental to the welfare of the economy. A balanced amount of stimulation was needed in order to get the economy going, such as limited government spending to limit deficits. A statement from the book that directly relates to the focus of these reforms is “The eight...
Words: 1744 - Pages: 7
