East of Eden

Family saga that follows the Hamiltons and the Trasks and loosely re-imagines the biblical story Cain and Abel.

Steinbeck asks the question: is your nature fated because of blood (genetics) or do you have a choice in what you're going to be?

The wisest characters believe that we do have a choice. Timshel. Thou mayest triumph over sin, meaning that men have a choice.

“I don't very much believe in blood,” said Samuel. “I think when a man finds good or bad in his children he is seeing only what he planted in them after they cleared the womb.” “You can't make a race horse of a pig.” “No,” said Samuel, “but you can make a very fast pig.”