East Of Eden & Great Santini Essay, Research Paper

Both Steinbeck, and Conroy illustrated the neglect the children felt from their father, and how they tried everything they could to win their fathers love. They were just innocent kids crying out for love and attention.

When reading East of Eden you would think that Cyrus didn t even love his sons, because he never showed any kind of compassion toward them. When Charles, and Adam continued to be ignored by their father, they started to compete to win his love. Charles would work, and win at everything to show his father that he was better. Deep down Cyrus knew himself that his love for Adam was stronger. The reason for that was, because he couldn t take care of himself, he was a weakling and thought that he would never amount to anything. He even said your not clever. You don t know what you want. You let other people walk all over you, but that s why I love you better. I always have. When Charles found out that he loves Adam more he beat him up, and tried to kill him. It became Cyrus s birthday and Charles tried to buy his love with a knife he spent all his money on, but still Cyrus adored the little puppy that Adam found, and gave him. Charles even tells Adam I gave him a pocket for his birthday and he never even used it.

In the Great Santini Bull is a harsh and stubborn man who thinks he s the best at everything. Once Bull was competing against his son in a game of basketball, and Ben ended up winning the game. Bull was such a sore loser that he started harassing Ben with afoul words, and hitting the ball against his head. He told him you re my favorite daughter, Ben I swear to god you re my sweetest little girl. Then turning toward the door, Ben spit back, Yeah, dad, and this little girl just whipped you good. Bull didn t know how to be a father toward his children he treated them like they were his soldiers.

The two stories are similar in almost every way. The fathers both pushed their sons to an extreme level. Cyrus forced his sons to make them ready for the army, and bull forces Ben because he was in the marine, and wanted Ben to be in it also. In the East of Eden Charles is jealous of Adam, because Cyrus loves Adam more, and in the Great Santini Mary Ann was also jealous of Ben because he had a better life than her. When the two fathers are compared they both want the same things for their kids, maybe during the whole story their just doing it out of love, and all they want is the best for their children.

It was ironic how to different families could have the same problem. Both wanting the love of their father so badly that they were in pain. Not getting the attention they needed made them suffer. This story showed how important it is to have a good father figure, because if you don t the whole family falls apart. East of Eden was more of a love triangle between Cyrus and his sons, and Great Santini was a desperate wanting to feel loved.