32 East of Eden Quotes on Love, Life and Wisdom

John Steinbeck recreates the story of Cain and Abel from the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Hooking his audience with a narrative that is easy to understand, he explores deeper and more compelling themes such as identity, soul and religion. Check out these East of Eden quotes for a deeper understanding of the underlying metaphors in Steinbeck’s work.

East of Eden Quotes That Showcase Various Aspects of Life

East of Eden Quotes That Teach Wisdom

#1. “You can boast about anything if it’s all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#2. “People like you to be something, preferably what they are.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#3. “When a man says he does not want to speak of something he usually means he can think of nothing else.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#4. “A man without words is a man without thought.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#5. “Perhaps the less we have, the more we are required to brag.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#6. “He never fell, never slipped back, never flew.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#7. “Man has a choice and it’s a choice that makes him a man.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#8. “There are no ugly questions except those clothed in condescension.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#9. “No story has power, nor will it last, unless we feel in ourselves that it is true and true of us.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#10. “And, of course, people are interested only in themselves. If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#11. “‘I’ll want to hear,’ Samuel said. ‘I eat stories like grapes.'” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#12. “All great and precious things are lonely.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#13. “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

East of Eden Quotes on Freedom

#14. “But the Hebrew word, the word timshel, ‘Thou mayest,’ that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if, ‘Thou mayest,’ it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#15. “And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

East of Eden Quotes on Truth and Courage

#16. “There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#17. “An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie. It takes great courage to back truth unacceptable to our times. There’s a punishment for it, and it’s usually crucifixion.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#18. “Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

East of Eden Quotes on Philosophy, Life, and Death

#19. “Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic? Well, think about it. Maybe you’re playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as the audience.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#20. “My imagination will get me a passport to hell one day.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#21. “It’s a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#22. “No one who is young is ever going to be old.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#23. “I wonder how many people I have looked at all my life and never really seen.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#24. “It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try to live so that our death brings no pleasure to the world.” ― John Steinbeck

East of Eden Quotes on Love

#25. “A man so painfully in love is capable of self-torture beyond belief.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#26. “It’s awful not to be loved. It’s the worst thing in the world. It makes you mean, and violent, and cruel.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#27. “Maybe—maybe love makes you suspicious and doubting. Is it true that when you love a woman you are never sure—never sure of her because you aren’t sure of yourself? ” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#28. “‘Abra—I think I love you, Cal.’ Cal— ‘I’m not good.’ Abra—’Because you’re not good.'” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#28. “But you must give him some sign, some sign that you love him, or he’ll never be a man. All his life he’ll feel guilty and alone unless you release him.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#29. “I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Other East of Eden Quotes

#30. “It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils, since we invented them.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#31. “But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed―because ‘Thou mayest.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

#32. “Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Conclusion

The analogical story of Cain and Abel seeks to bring forth the story of good and evil in a format that’s relevant to the present. It also propounds the idea that nobody can escape destiny. Scrolling through these East of Eden quotes to take an inspiring trip down memory lane.

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