[for chloe.]

in the wake of my hudson river valley love affair with vassar college, coming home to san dimas has allowed me the opportunity to revisit the relics of my past.

old diaries, paintings, stomping grounds, but especially--the books.

steinbeck bears the brunt of my attention with such masterworks as east of eden, grapes of wrath, and of mice and men. i sometimes open his books to a random page and read the first passage that my eyes fall on. with steinbeck, you can never go wrong.

i want to share my reflections on one of my favorite passages from east of eden with you:

adam said, 'i don't see how you could cook and raise the boys and take care of me and still do all this.'

'neither do i, said lee. 'but i take my two pipes in the afternoon, no more and no less, like the elders. and i feel that i am a man. and i feel that a man is a very important thing--maybe more important than a star. this is not theology. i have no bent toward gods. 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.

this passage reminds me, first, that good dialogue is subtle (thanks steinbeck). second, it is a testament to the strength of human will. third, it reminds me that everything is relative.

lee's character is a chinese immigrant who is the cook and caretaker of adam trask--a noble, simple man, whose innocence and constant wonder at the world spawns my own curiosity. throughout the novel, adam asks simple and sincere questions to everyone around him, humbly seeking happiness in truth. lee--adam's inferior--dares to offer philosophy to the man on whom he is practically dependent. the exchange between classes proves that intelligence is irreverent of social status. it reminds me to seek truth everywhere.

lee's answer is beautiful and simply spoken--i marvel at how steinbeck manages to convey the fact of lee's chinese heritage through his slow and respectful candor.

his other virtues are these: he offers his wisdom unassumingly, which is how i believe it should be done. he is humbly contented with feeling like a man, grateful for his past ("the elders") and to adam (his superior) for the richness in his life, taking "two pipes in the afternoon, no more no less", and most importantly, he admits his love of the human soul, adoringly described as "that glittering instrument...a lovely and unique thing in the universe".

it seems to me that there is much wisdom to be had from steinbeck and his entourage of deeply complex characters.

east of eden is a genius work that can reveal the universal truth in everything should you choose to be patient with it. steinbeck's prose is meant to be read aloud, i always say. each sentence should be tasted, each word appreciated. steinbeck was a careful writer. which is why east is my favorite of the books i've read so far. it's long--and that's the point. it took me nearly two years to finish reading that book. not because it was boring, but because i was constantly inclined to re-read sentences, to underline and ponder them.

it comes to you highly recommended, though who am i to say that you'll like it.

nobody, really :)

in any case, i hope this post wasn't too dry. i just wanted to share something that i found to be very beautiful with you, chloe, chloe's mom, ben, taylor, tati, and mommy bear--who i'm pretty sure are the only people who read this blog (comfortably so).

this post is dedicated to chloe, who yesterday encouraged me to continue writing.

love,

your favorite fish,

jti