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Trask Family In East Of Eden

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In our society, a family can be defined in many ways. Whether it may be a traditional family, with a mother and father, a single parent, or even two moms or dads, a family is not defined by how many members it consists of, but the way that they care for each other. In John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, The Hamilton’s are foils of the Trask Family. The Hamilton’s are a large and loving traditional family who care and support each other. Meanwhile, the Trasks are smaller, less caring, and are quite divided. The fact that Steinbeck includes the Hamilton’s in his novel, even though it is portrayed by the Trask Family, is quite interesting. Steinbeck’s purpose of this is to show the importance of a father figure in a family. In the novel, it is clear …show more content…
This is exactly how the Hamilton’s are. Immigrating from Ireland was not an easy task for Samuel. But despite the struggles, he worked hard to provide for his family and be the best husband and father for them. Steinbeck writes, “All in all it was a good firm-grounded family, permanent, and successfully planted in the Salinas Valley, no poorer than many and not richer than many either. It was a well-balanced family with its conservatives and its radicals, its dreamers and its realists. Samuel was well pleased with the fruit of his loins (43). Steinbeck illustrates how perfectly balanced the Hamilton’s are. Samuel seems to be fond of how him and Liza have raised their family. Samuel being a dreamer, and Liza being more of a realist, balances their family very well. Samuel, being a good father figure to his kids plays a significant role on the type of people his kids become. Samuel is a strong- willed and compassionate father to his children. In the novel, it is clear that he loves his children and hope to be a good role model to them. Also, Samuel is a great husband to Liza. He respects and cares for his wife. He is also understanding, despite of their differences in beliefs. It is safe to say the Samuel’s love for his family unites them together and makes them a strong

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