A new mini-series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel “East of Eden” hit Netflix Oct. 1.
Published in 1952, “East of Eden” is a behemoth of a novel that tells the multi-generational saga of the Trask and Hamilton families spanning from the U.S. Civil War to World War I. Steinbeck considered the novel his magnum opus.
It was first adapted for film in 1955 by the legendary Hollywood director Elia Kazan. The film was James Dean’s breakout role as Cal Trask and was released only a few months before his fatal car accident and tragic death at age 24. Short on time, the film cut the entire first three-quarters of the novel, leaving out beloved characters and important context for viewers.
Elia Kazan’s granddaughter, Zoe Kazan, began developing her own adaptation of the novel in 2020. Kazan decided to develop the story as a seven-episode limited series to give the novel more room to develop compared to her grandfather’s film.
“East of Eden” is a retelling of the biblical stories of Cain and Abel and the Fall of Adam and Eve. The story begins with the relationship between brothers Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles Trask (Mike Faist) and transitions in the later half of the book to Adam’s twin sons, Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aron (Joe Anders).
Zada is fantastic in his reprisal of Dean’s breakout performance as Cal Trask. His portrayal of the less-favored twin, caught between cruelty and morality, is emotionally charged and convincing.
The Hamiltons, a family of Irish immigrants based on Steinbeck’s maternal side, is woven within the narrative through the patriarch Sam Hamilton (Ciarán Hinds). The family is largely left out of the show, with Sam only appearing in two episodes and his children being barely mentioned.
As upsetting as this is, it’s understandable that the Hamiltons are placed on the backburner. An adaptation of such a large novel, even in a televised format, has to make some cuts. However, I do wish we saw more of Sam than just two episodes.
The Trask’s Chinese-American servant, Lee (Hoon Lee), is another pivotal figure in the story. His relationship with the Trasks and Hamiltons is integral to the plot, and many of the iconic lines in this show can be attributed to him. Importantly, the series is able to include both Sam and Lee, who are not mentioned in the 1955 film adaptation.
Lee is the moral compass and a stabilizing force for the Trasks. Hoon Lee does a wonderful job in the series portraying the complexities of his character as a Chinese-American in the early 1900s, when the Chinese-American Exclusion Act was still the law of the land.
It is Lee who delivers the core theme of the story: “timshel.” The Hebrew word translates to “thou mayest” and is essential to the plot and character development. Steinbeck used timshel to explore free will and the choice between good and evil, tempting the characters to choose their own destiny and not succumb to generational traumas.
One of the most famous and controversial characters in American literature is Adam’s wife and the twin’s mother, Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh). In the novel, Steinbeck depicts her as a “psychic monster,” with a “malformed soul.” She is a sociopath — unfeeling, manipulative and malicious — who uses her sexuality for power and commits egregious crimes.
Cathy’s portrayal in the mini-series has caused controversy and debate, with many critics perceiving the interpretation of her backstory as softening her character.
Before I watched “East of Eden,” I was curious and nervous about how Cathy was going to be depicted. After watching it, I think she is still callous and monstrous, but her backstory’s revision is shown through a more modern lens. It does not excuse her actions; rather, it is a modern interpretation of her inexcusable behavior.
“She is a liar, and she’s incredibly honest. She is a murderer, and she is a person who is trying to survive,” Zoe Kazan said in an interview with Variety. “There are things that Steinbeck describes in the book that I read slightly differently than he maybe intended them.”
I believe Cathy’s portrayal in the series boils down to “timshel.” She has the opportunity to act with kindness and compassion, but she chooses not to do so. Instead, she acts on her evil, sinful thoughts.
Pugh’s performance as Cathy might be her best so far. She is the perfect choice to play the part, and I can’t imagine anyone else who could have done it. There are moments in the series when Pugh makes me genuinely shudder from her terrifying and immoral delivery. Pugh’s acting cannot be overstated.
There were a few directions with Cathy’s character that I felt were too on-the-nose and didn’t translate well on-screen. Overall, Zoe Kazan’s “East of Eden” is done well despite the criticism, and it definitely does the story more justice than its first on-screen adaption.
