The East Of Eden Book Ends On A Note Of Hope

Florence Pugh has more than one great American novel on her critically acclaimed acting resume. But unlike the sisterly squabbles of Little Women, Netflix’s East of Eden follows a family with some seriously distressing baggage.

Based on John Steinbeck’s 1952 book of the same name, the seven-part series (streaming now) centers Pugh as Cathy Ames, a violent young woman whose family experiences generational hardships against the backdrop of early 1900s California. “She’s probably one of the most incredible characters in literature in the way that she handles herself, in how bold she is and how ruthless she is in how she looks after herself,” Pugh told Netflix of taking on the troubled character, who’s frequently cited as one of the great literary villains.

In adapting the tome, Zoe Kazan had to set aside certain elements. “The incredible thing about this book is there’s much treasure in it that you couldn’t possibly put it all into seven hours,” she recently told The Independent. “There are things I had to leave behind that hurt my heart — there’s so much of the Hamiltons’ storyline that’s not in there, and the Hamiltons are some of my favorite characters in the book.”

Indeed, Cathy and her family’s neighbors in California don’t feature quite as heavily. But the book’s plot and bittersweet, hope-tinged ending generally carry over. Cathy — who previously killed her own parents — marries Adam Trask, a man with a difficult relationship with his brother, Charles (who Cathy sleeps with).

Cathy eventually becomes pregnant, and despite an attempted abortion, she gives birth to twin boys, Cal and Aron, whose relationship comes to echo Charles and Adam’s (with both pairs resembling the Biblical story of Cain and Abel). Soon after, Cathy shoots her husband and leaves the family to work at a brothel, where she kills the madam, Faye, and takes over the business for herself.

Years later, Aron attends university. Resentful of their father’s apparent favoritism toward Aron, Cal reveals what he knows about their mother’s occupation. Distressed, Aron joins the Army and ultimately dies in World War I, and Cathy dies by suicide.

With the help and encouragement of longtime family friend Lee, a guilt-ridden Cal — now dating Aron’s ex, Abra — asks his dying father for forgiveness. Adam appears to give it with the Hebrew word “timshel,” or “thou mayest,” reminding Cal that he still has the power to make new choices.