Chapter 1

Kansas- The Gabilan mountains have popped up a number of times in Steinbeck stories, and I remember wondering once whether or not they were real or fictitious. They look to be real. Here is a great photo of them by David J. Gubernick found after a simple Google search. I like this picture because they look as I would have imagined them. The highest peak among them does not go higher than 4000 feet; they are on the central coast of California. I imagine they were special to the author, not only due to the several notable references that he makes to them, but because the boy, Jody, names his horse Gabilan in The Red Pony.

Oregon- I so enjoy the way Steinbeck sets up his stories, especially the ones in the Salinas Vally. I've also been reading the collection of shorts, "The Long Valley". It is so evident, his love for this land and the social formation that has effected it, and the lands effect on the people.

I'm interested to see how, with the title "East of Eden" and his statement on page one "I always found in myself a dread of the west and love of the east" plays out in the story.

However this story develops, I feel like I leave this first chapter in love with a land I do not know, yet feel that I can already smell it, taste it, and visualize it's beauty as well as the chance for disaster.

Kevin, when you get moved to the west side, lets pilgramige down to the valley for a bike tour, or some kind moment in that space between the Gabilan mountains and the Santa Lucias.