East of Eden - Pastiche Student work presented by Carolyn Martin Hughes The first novel we studied in my DP1 English A1 class this year was East of Eden, set in California by John Steinbeck and published in 1952. The American Nobel Prize winner considered this his magnum opus, claiming that “everything else I have written has been, in a sense, practice for this”. In fact it is semi-autobiographical and the author appears as a minor character early in the story. One of the tasks the class was set was to write an additional scene in the novel paying homage to the author’s style. This pastiche required close attention to Steinbeck’s colourful characterization, whilst maintaining a sympathetic appreciation of the setting and background of the novel. The students were rather fascinated by the “monster” Catherine Ames, “so sweet as to be irresistible” but also possessed with “some gear out of ratio”. She casts a dark shadow over the Trask family whose lives over three generations are portrayed in the novel, intensified by a series of biblical allusions especially the story of brothers Cain and Abel. These two pieces, presented by Stephanie and Gabi, are an effective blend of creativity and literary appreciation. Although they were allowed to choose any place in the novel, both of these are set at the stage when Catherine (now known as Kate) is the madam at a brothel. In Gabi’s story the protagonist, disconcerted by the visit of her husband Adam whom she thought she had successfully severed from her life, takes out her anger on one of her “girls” by way of blackmail and other means. Stephanie presents the return visit of her son Cal (Cain) bringing with him his sensitive, naive brother Aaron (Abel) as an act of retribution against both of them.
Stephanie Jorgensen East of Eden - Pastiche
Kate sat at her desk and slowly removed her gloves. She was still pretty and neat. The work of the years was subtle. If you had lived close by to her through time you probably never would have noticed. The green-hooded double lamp shone an almost gold light upon the dark grey walls. She was feeling better today. The pain in her hands was abated, underneath the oily-looking bandages her fingers felt straighter and her knuckles not so swollen. That medicine had worked wonders – not only had it cured the arthritic pain, it gave her back her nerve – she was excited. She wanted to go to New York as she’d always planned. She would live in an elegant little house on the Upper East Side; she would go to the theatre – to the opera. She was so immersed in the amusement of her thoughts that she did not here Joe’s knocking on the door. Opening it a crack he looked in and saw her smiling face. The light showed her eyes were shiny. “You look better, ma’am.” “Yes. I feel better. The medicine works it seems.” She said. “You, however, look dreadful. Don’t you feel well?” “I’m alright, ma’am.” He said before hesitating. “There’s someone here, ma’am. Two lads. One says he wants to see you.” “Well they can’t. I’m busy” “I told them you couldn’t see them, ma’am, but one was quite adamant, he insisted. He said you know him.” “Well, who is he, Joe?” “Says his name is Cal, an’ he says he got Aaron – Aaron Trask, with him.”