East of Eden《Steinbeck teaches us how to trust "Timshel"》

Lee the Chinese-American housekeeper for the Trask family is my favorite character in East of Eden. He is forced to speak in the Chinese pidgin dialect that enables him to survive in America. An orphan he raises Adam's children after they are abandoned by Cathy. (He even plays a mother's role in the family to some extent.)

Lee often affects a Chinese pidgin accent to play into Americans' expectations of him. A philosophical man he frequently gives voice to the novel's themes including the crucial idea of "timshel". (The individual or personal choice that whether to be good or evil. He mentions the similar conception as "Shen Du". However the meaning of "Shen Du" should be "self-supervision" or "self-restraining in privacy" as the most important thinking of Confucius. Whatever I still admire Steinbeck for his broad knowledge fields.)

His story of his own birth is the most appalling chapter in the novel. Although I learned some history about Chinese-American when I was in high school before I still be infected by his story which describes an absolute love. It goes beyond the notions of good and evil it even goes beyond people and gods since it affects the members of a different cult profession and race alike sometimes leading the Trask family to overcome their weak point.

After Sam died Lee plays a vital role in Trask family. In my opinion Sam enlightens Lee and Adam and gives them the courage and determination. So I am really happy when Adam or Cal visited Cathy without any depression and cowardice. The good overcomes the evil again and again Sam says the twins of Trask are weapons of Adam and Lee shapes them. In choosing to stay with his master when he could easily strike out on his own and it is his "timshel". Steinbeck tries to investigate Lee as a type of the assimilated American but seems drawn back to portraying him as an oriental individuals.

There can be no good without evil. This book is really full of "Timshel".

(I will write a larger comment to praise this book after finishing it~ :)