I have been stressed out for a long time trying to find out what this means for my project. Can somebody help me? Here is the passage:
In the passage from East of Eden, John Steinbeck describes all literature as one story of good and evil: "We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is."
2007-09-04 17:40:09 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
This is what I don't understand:
Are the stories in the novels in poems about the good in ourselves versus the evil?
or
Are the books our guides to what's good and evil?
The essay is to devlop a position on this passage using the text from Stephen King's "On Writing" It is an essay.
2007-09-04 17:50:55 · update #1
It's ok guys. I don't even have the book to do the project. I couldn't even find it.
I took college classes during the summer to improve myself in the summer (english 101). I was so busy with the work I received and now the worst part is that I feel that I'll fail this AP english course on just the first day...
After all, it was a pretty big assignment.... :(
2007-09-04 18:09:07 · update #2
I never liked Steinbeck. The guy wrote pointless stories that didn't mean much. Pretty mediocre writer, in my opinion.
2007-09-04 17:53:24 · answer #1 · answered by Mike 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll give it a shot. All writings of Man since the beginning are about the battle between good and evil. Beginning with Adam & Eve (hence the title). Evil has to change its form constantly, in order to lure the weak and spiritless. Whereas Good is always the same, never hidden, and constant with the ages.
2007-09-04 17:51:30 · answer #2 · answered by msmaryanne1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel this is what it means: Good and Evil are in this forever tug o war with humanity itself. Evil must forever re do itself in a different face or form to lure the potential weak, while good is immortal and stays constant and doesn't have to change into anything because humanity is essentially good. And humanity will follow good before evil always!
2007-09-04 17:54:24 · answer #3 · answered by sun_beam61 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steinbeck is saying that evil (vices) must constantly re-invent (respawn) itself. Life always provides new vices, new evils to tempt us. Virtue (good) on the other hand, is always present; it is immortal.
2007-09-04 17:47:59 · answer #4 · answered by Doctor J 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What is it you don't understand?
What is the project? If it is to write an essay or paragraph explaining the meaning of the passage, read it and put your understanding of it into your own words. If there's something specific you're not understanding, please clarify.
2007-09-04 17:44:11 · answer #5 · answered by Marie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋