East of Eden

East of eden meaning of timshel

How did the meaning of timshel impact Samuel, lee and Adams lives?

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Timshel is defined as man's choice between good and evil. Samuel chooses good. He is a repsected member of the community, honest, appreciated, and though he never achieves great wealth..... he is the happiest of all the novel's characters.

Adam Trask, like Samuel, is a good man, a good father, and above all honest.

Lee is a good friend, who does not believe in predestination. His counsel is an integral part of the text, and in the end, it is Lee who helps Cal understand that he can undo what he believes to be the family curse and live a morally upright life if that's what he chooses.

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East of Eden