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PUBLISHED DATE: - 14-06-2024
DOI: -
https://doi.org/10.37547/tajssei/Volume06Issue06-16
PAGE NO.: - 81-85
NATURAL REFLECTIONS: UNVEILING THE
ECOCRITICAL LAYERS IN EAST OF EDEN BY
JOHN STEINBECK
Mrs. K. Pamme Nesakumari
Research Scholar, Department Of English, Vels Institute Of Science, Technology And Advanced
Studies, Chennai, India
Dr. M. Nagalakshmi
Professor & Research Supervisor, Department Of English, Vels Institute Of Science, Technology
And Advanced Studies, Chennai, India
INTRODUCTION
John Steinbeck’s East of Eden has been hailed as a
literary masterpiece, renowned for its exploration
of human nature and the American experience
(Smith 24). This study employs an ecocritical lens
to unravel the intricate layers of landscape and
memory within the novel, shedding light on its
nuanced portrayal of the natural world and its
implications for character development, thematic
resonance, and moral enquiry.
Ecocriticism, as an interdisciplinary field of study,
emphasises the interconnectedness between
humans and their natural environments (Glotfelty
and Fromm 17). By foregrounding ecological
themes and environmental concerns, ecocriticism
provides a holistic framework for understanding
the literature and its engagement with the natural
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Abstract
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world. East of
Eden Steinbeck’s vivid depiction of
the California landscape serves as a dynamic force
that shapes the lives of its characters and reflects
the cyclical rhythms of nature (Garcia 42).
The title itself, East of Eden, draws on biblical
allusions and geographical imagery to evoke a
sense of place and metaphorical significance
(Steinbeck 5). Set primarily in the Salinas Valley of
California, Steinbeck’s narrative unfolds against
the backdrop of a landscape imbued with layers of
meaning and emotional resonance (Johnson, 56).
The landscape serves not only as a setting but also
as a character in its own right, shaping the destiny
of its inhabitants and mirroring the human
experience (Smith 30).
Memory, in its various forms, acts as a lens through
which characters perceive and interact with their
environments (Garcia 50). Personal, familial, and
cultural memories intersect with the landscape to
shape identity and inform behaviour (Johnson, 60).
Through memory, Steinbeck delves into the
complexities of human-nature interactions,
exploring the ways in which individuals navigate
their ecological communities and negotiate their
place within them (Smith 35).
Steinbeck grapples with issues of environmental
degradation and stewardship, depicting human
interventions in the natural world and their
ecological consequences (Garcia 55). From
agricultural practices to industrialisation, this
novel explores the ethical responsibilities of
individuals within their ecological communities
(Johnson 65). Steinbeck’s portrayal of the Sal
inas
Valley serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the
fragility of ecosystems and the need for
responsible environmental stewardship (Smith
40).
East of Eden emerges as a profound ecological
allegory, inviting readers to reconsider their
relationship with the natural world and the ethical
implications
of
ecological
consciousness
(Steinbeck, 70). Through our ecocritical analysis of
landscape and memory, we have unveiled the
intricate tapestry of human-nature interactions
woven within the pages of this timeless novel,
underscoring its enduring relevance in an era
marked by pressing environmental concerns.
DISCUSSION
Many of Steinbeck’s works had remnants of the
Salinas Valley. He has always shown the smallest
nuances of the natural world’s beauty since he is a
natural lover. In order to express his affection for
his hometown, he intended to call the book East of
Eden
“Salinas Valley.” He also considered calling it
“My Valley.”However, while the book was being
written, it became clear that it was more of a
worldwide topic, and his wife offered the title East
of Eden, which is derived from Genesis.
Steinbeck provides a geographical overview of
Salinas Valley in the first few lines of the East of
Eden.“The Salinas Valley is in Northern California.
It is a long narrow scale between two ranges of
mountains, and the Salinas River winds and twists
up the centre until it falls at last into Monterey
Bay”(07). The East of Eden has a large number of
autobiographical aspects. He has documented his
early years, during which he had a close
relationship with the natural world. He declares, “I
remember my childhood names for grasses and
secret flowers. I remember where a toad may live,
what time the birds awaken in the summer, what
trees and seasons smelled like, and how people
looked and walked and smelled even. The memory
of odours is very rich(07).In his poetic portrayal of
the valley, the narrator is filled with nostalgia,
bringing back memories of his early years spent in
Salinas, including their sights and scents.
Additionally, he frames the valley as a
metaphorical battleground for virtue versus evil,
with the Gabilan Mountains to the east enclosing it.
“light gay mountains full of sun and
loveliness”(07)—and the “dark and brooding”(07)
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Mount Santa Lucia in the distance to the west.
Beginning at the very beginning of Salinas Valley’s
history, he paints a vivid picture. The first people
to settle in the then-uninhabited Salina were
Indians. They coexist with the natural world
without interference. The author may have
portrayed them as slothful, but in reality, they had
no concept of controlling nature. They “. . . lived on
grubs, grasshoppers, and shellfish, too lazy to hunt
or fish. They ate about what they could pick up and
did nothing. They pounded on bitter acorns for
flour. Even their warfare was a weary pantomime”
(EOE 10).
The Spaniards were next to launch an invasion.
The Spaniards, in contrast to the Indians, were
materialistic. They started encroaching on the
mountains and forests, which are home to many
different kinds of life. They forcibly remove native
wildlife from their habitats.
. . . They gathered mountains and valleys, rivers,
and whole horizons, the way a man might now gain
the title of building lots. These tough, dried-up men
moved restlessly up the coast and down.
Periodically, the owners killed the cattle for their
hides and tallow and left the meat to the vultures
and coyotes. (11)
Steinbeck painted an image of the early people’s
reliance on nature for subsistence. Somehow, a
merciless man always found a way to outdo nature.
They established that nature existed only for the
benefit of humans. Naturally, those who adhered to
this kind of utilitarianism destroyed nature to
further their interests. People now understand the
importance of protecting the environment.
Environmentally friendly systems are a hot topic
for administrative and academic bodies. Animal
welfare groups have emerged, with names like IDA
(In Defence of Animals (IDA), People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA), and the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA).
William Rueckert, in his essay Literature and
Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism states:
The problem now, as most ecologists agree, is to
find ways to keep the human community from
destroying the natural community and, with it, the
human community. This is what ecologists like to
call the self-destructive or suicidal motive inherent
in our prevailing and paradoxical attitude towards
nature. (Glotfelty 107)
Mankind began harming nature in an effort to
increase its population, eventually leading to its
demise. Steinbeck paints a vision in the prologue of
East of Eden that shows how the early humans
desecrated the environment. Americans were just
as bad as Spaniards when it came to the
destruction of the environment.
Then, the Americans came- more greedy because
there were more of them. They took the land and
remade the laws to improve their titles. Farmholds
spread over the land, first in the valleys and then
up the foothill slopes, small wooden houses roofed
with redwood shakes and corrals of the split poles.
Wherever a trickle of water came out of the
ground, a house sprang up, and a family began to
grow and multiply. (EOE 12)
To advance his civilisation, man appropriated the
natural environment. He started to dominate the
land as he shaped it to suit his needs. In the words
of VeraL. Norwood:
Masculine culture in America characteristically
sees wilderness as a place for defining virility, for
playing out aggressively, adventure-seeking, and
sometimes violent impulses. Survival in a hostile
environment is an ego-gratifying achievement that
feeds the achievement-oriented male psyche,
enabling men to return to civilisation and improve
their culture. (Glotfelty 324)
On the one hand, the East of Eden seems to be a
celebration of nature, while on the other, it seems
to be destroying it. Nowadays, people tend to
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overlook the positive aspects of nature because
they rely on technology. These empty areas were
privileged to be named by early Salinas Valley
residents. They jumped at the chance to give
nature the credit it deserved by doing the
following.
Places were named for animals and birds as
follows: Gabilanes for the hawks which flew in
those mountains, Topo for the mole, and Los Gatos
for wild cats. The suggestions sometimes came
from the nature of the place itself: Tassajara, a cup
and saucer; Laguna Seca, a dry lake; Corral de
Tierra for a fence of the earth; and Paraiso because
it was like heaven. The descriptive names were as
follows: Paso de los Robles because of the oak
trees, Los Laureles for the laurels, Tularcitos
because of the reeds in the swamp, and Salinas for
the alkali, which was white as salt. (11)
According to Neil Evernden’s“Beyond Ecology”
article, “The act of naming itself be a part of the
process of establishing the sense of the
place.”Giving unique featur
es of location names
that reflect their personalities is a personal
example, but it may also apply to more general
terms (Glotfelty 101). Therefore, a person might
demonstrate unity with the location he names by
doing so.
The narrator states that the weather in the valley
changes every 30 years, going from a period of high
rainfall every five or six years to a period of
moderate rainfall every six or seven years,
followed by a long period of drought. From what he
can tell,
The water came through a thirty-year cycle. There
would be five or six wet and wonderful years when
there might be nineteen to twenty inches of rain.
Then, the dry years would come to six or seven
good years of twelve to sixteen inches of rain. Then,
dry years would come, and sometimes, there
would be only seven or eight inches of rain. The
land dried up, the grasses headed out miserably a
few inches, and great bare, scabby places appeared
in the valley. The live oaks were crusty, and the
sagebrush was grey. The land cracked, the springs
dried up, and the cattle listlessly nibbled dry twigs.
The farmers and ranchers would then be filled with
disgust for the Salinas Valley. The cows grew thin
and were sometimes starved to death. People
would haul water from barrels to their farms for
drinking. (08)
When the Salinas River is underground in spring,
the valley dries up, but it is quite fruitful in winter.
Drought was a terrible adversary for the Salinas
people. “John(Steinbeck) heard
the stories of legendary drought seasons that had
shaped the nature of the valley and its residents.
One drought occurred over the majority of the
1870s. The death toll includes more than 65,000
cattle. In other years, the rain is too heavy,
overfilling the reservoirs beneath the mountains.
Floodwaters crashed through the valley” (Ferrell,
16). Steinbeck was unable to disentangle himself
from the thoughts that Salinas Valley had left on his
mind. Even when he moved to New York and spent
many years away from Salinas, he continued to
write about his hometown in almost all his works.
As a result, the landscape and Steinbeck’s
recollections are interdependent.
REFERENCES
1.
Ferrell, Keith. John Steinbeck: The Voice of the
Land. New York: M Evans, 1986. Print.
2.
Garcia, Maria. “Ecocritical Pe
rspectives on
John Steinbeck’s ‘East of Eden’.”Ecological
3.
Literary Studies, vol. 12, no. 2, 2018, pp. 42-
58.
4.
Glotfelty, Cheryl, and Harold Fromm
Editors.The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks
in
5.
Literary Ecology. University of Georgia Press,
1996.
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6.
Johnson, R
obert. “Landscape and Memory in
John Steinbeck’s ‘East of
Eden’.”Environmental
7.
Humanities, vol. 6, no. 1, 2020, pp. 56-70.
8.
Smith, David. “The Natural World in ‘East of
Eden’: Ecocritical Perspectives.”Nature and
9.
Culture, vol. 18, no. 3, 2019, pp. 24-45.
10.
Steinbeck, John. East of Eden. London:
Penguin Books, 1952. Print.
