Monique Divivier Period 4 3/22/11

Chapters Thirty-Four to Thirty-Eight

Quotes
·         “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 virture, is immortal.  Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as
nothing else in the world is.” (413)
o   Steinbeck acknowledges the continuous fight between good and evil in the world.  Good
lasts forever and the good people last forever, while evil may only exist in a person for
so long until that person is destroyed, then comes a new evil and the cycle starts all over
again.  In the long run, it is truly good that destroys evil.                      
·         “Everyone who saw the twins remarked on their difference one from the other and seemed
puzzled that this should be so.  Cal was growing up dark-skinned, dark-haired.  He was quick and
sure and secret…No one like Cal very much and yet everyone was touched with fear of him and
through fear with respect…Adam drew love from every side.  He seemed shy and delicate.  His
pink-and-white skin, golden hair, and wide-set blue eyes caught attention.” (419-420)
o   Although there have always been clear differences between Cal and Aron, their move to
Salinas and their growing older makes their differences more distinct.  Cal continues to
pretend to not care while acting like a bully while Aron proceeds to be even more
emotional and angelic than every before, proving to be quite popular. 
Vocabulary
·         Avarice – noun – insatiable greed for riches – The family’s avarice caused them to be so
blinded by money that they lost all the true friendships created in their lifetimes.
Chapters Thirty-Nine to Forty-One
Quotes
·         “’They thought they were so smart,’ she said, ‘They looked at me and thought they knew
about me.  And I fooled them.  I fooled every one of them.  And when they thought they could
tell me what to do – oh! That’s when I fooled them best.  Charles, I really fooled them’” (460-
461)
o   Cathy (Kate) is angry at her son for making her feel inferior and decides to brag about her
powers of manipulation. She makes it sound like something to be proud about but Cal
sees through her false sense of superiority and realizes that she is only saying this
because she is afraid.
·         “’I have hated him,’ Cal said vehemently. ‘And I’ve hurt him too. But, sir, can I tell you
something? I don’t hate him now. I won’t ever hate him again, not even my mother –‘” (454)
o   Steinbeck is allowing room for growth in this part of the novel for Cal. He learns about
his mother and about himself all within a small period of time. He realizes that he
doesn’t want hate in his life, nor does he need it. He is stronger without hate, stronger
and not his mother.
Vocabulary
·         Ferment – agitation; unrest; excitement; commotion; tumult – He talked with ferment upon
receiving his first college acceptance letter.
Monique Divivier Period 4 3/22/11

Chapters Forty-Two to Forty-Six

Quotes
·         “’Cal, he writes me love letters now – only they aren’t to me….It’s like they were to – himself’”
(496)
o   Abra realizes the changes that a religious life has done to Aron. He sees the world as
though there is no bad that cannot be fixed. He views her just as Adam viewed Cathy, a
woman and a love who could do no wrong. He views a woman who will always be
perfect and accountable. Aron creates a ghost, an image of woman that never existed.
·         “Kate went into her feeling about Faye. Did she hate or love her? Did she pity her? Was she
sorry she had killed her? Kate inched over her own thoughts like a measuring worm. She found
she had no feeling about Faye.” (500)
o   Not only is Kate heartless, but she also has no passion and no hate. She is just an all-
around cruel person and that evil is just who she is. She was born evil and it was never a
choice because that was all she’s ever known about herself. Her feelings have been lost
and they have been replaced with a power of manipulation and power.
Vocabulary
·         Vigilance – noun – The quality or state of being wakeful and alert – Her vigilance allowed her
to complete her project with no distractions.
Chapters Forty-Seven to Forty-Nine
Quotes
·         “Well, of Abra he made his immaculate dream and, having created her, fell in love with her…
And as Abra became more radiant, more pure and beautiful, Aron took an increasing joy in a
concept of his own wickedness” (521)
o   Aron is becoming more and more like his father in the sense that he is inventing an image
of the perfect wife/love. He doesn’t see Abra for who she truly is but rather he invents
up the perfect woman while he is away at Stanford and then puts Abra in that mold. He
is not in love with the Abra he once knew, but he is in love with the creation that he
built for Abra to attempt but never fully fit into properly.
·         “’Why am I giving the money to my father? Is it for his good? No. It’s for my good. Will
Hamilton said it – I’m trying to buy him. There’s not one decent thing about it. There’s not one
decent thing about me. I sit here wallowing in jealousy of my brother. Why not call things by
their names?’” (535-536)
o   Cal admits of his jealousy towards his perfect brother Aron. The brother that everyone
seems to love more, their father included. He feels the need to buy his father’s love
with money that he earned, even though he knows that he is doing it for all the wrong
reasons. He holds his pity like a trophy prize that he had won. He treats it like a
contest. Whoever is most miserable wins.
Vocabulary
·         Ascetic – adjective – exceedingly strict or severe in religious exercises or self-mortification –
The priest was more than religious, rather, he was very ascetic and often caused fear in the
hearts of the younger members of his church.
Monique Divivier Period 4 3/22/11

Chapters Fifty to Fifty-Two

Quotes
·         “’I was afraid if I didn’t get drunk I’d shoot myself’” (567)
o   Cal creates so much in his head about how evil and bad he is that he is afraid that
without that one time of drinking he may have caused self-harm. His confidence is so
low and he realizes it, but he ends up suffering in self-pity.
·         “Abra felt pleased, and she did not inspect the reason. She knew certain things without
question, and such things she did not speak about. For example, she knew that her father was
not ill. He was hiding from something. Just as surely she knew that Adam Trask was ill, for she
had seen him walking along the street. She wondered whether her mother knew her father was
not ill” (577)
o   Obviously, Abra is very aware of what is going on in her surroundings. She realizes the
truth in people and she uses her knowledge for good. She is smart and knows a lot
more than most people, just like Cathy, except she is in no way bad even though she is
not perfect.
Vocabulary
·         Elusive – adjective – Cleverly or skillfully evasive – The elusive thief was able to rob the entire
jewelry store.
Chapters Fifty-Three to Fifty-Five
Quotes
·         “’I wanted to run away from my father’s eyes. They’re right in front of me all the time. When I
close my eyes I still see them. I’ll always see them. My father is going to die, but his eyes will
still be looking at me, telling me I killed my brother.’” (597)
o   Cal is worried that he is becoming his mother. He feels guilty about his brother’s death
and he feels that his father is disappointed and angry at him. His father is going to die
and he knows that he will never be happy with himself because he will always see his
father’s eyes giving him endless guilt due to the death of Aron.
·         “Adam looked up with sick weariness. His lips parted and failed and tried again. Then his
lungs filled. He expelled the air and his lips combed the rushing sigh. His whispered word
seemed to hang in the air: ‘Timshel!’” (601)
o   Cal gets his blessing from his father, relieving him from the pain of the idea of becoming
his mother. He realizes he is his own person and his father’s words set him free. His
father’s last words are that of encouragement.
Vocabulary
·         Monotonous – adjective – lacking in variety; tediously unvarying – The teacher’s monotonous
voice caused the students to fall asleep in class quite frequently.
Monique Divivier Period 4 3/22/11

Part IV product:

Place 1: School – Page 418

Place 2: Stanford – Page 520
Place 3: Aron’s room off campus – Page 521

To Do

0 – p 274 2-24 even

3 – p 254 A-D wb 88-89 (top)

4 – Part IV product

5 – bio packet