Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in East of Eden, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Good, Evil, and the Human Soul
Time
Family, Love, and Loneliness
Religion, Myth, and the Power of Stories
Identity
Money, Wealth, and the Value of Work
Summary
Analysis
A few days later, the Ford that Adam wanted to buy arrives. A mechanic comes along to try and teach Adam how to use the vehicle. He is disdainful of Adam’s ignorance of internal combustion engines and has little patience for his questions. As he leaves he tells Adam to study the manual under the seat.
Adam realizes that transitioning headlong into the future isn’t as easy as buying a Ford. Adam has to adjust to using the car, and, like many transitions, it is fraught with misunderstanding and difficulty.
Themes
