East of Eden Lesson Plan

How does Steinbeck bring the Salinas Valley to life? If East of Eden is a retelling of Cain and Abel, what is "biblical" about this depiction of the region?

John Steinbeck, who casts himself as the young narrator, carefully creates the near-mythical setting in which the characters of East of Eden reside. His setting, however, does far more than merely serve as the backdrop for the action. Indeed, the setting creates thematic tension and opposition. Steinbeck sets up the biblical metaphor of good versus evil (or light versus dark) - the novel's central theme - by utilizing Salinas Valley, California, where he lived as a youngster, as the novel's primary setting....