East of Eden

**Quiz Question — *East of Eden* by John Steinbeck** What does the Hebrew word **"timshel"** mean, as discussed by Samuel Hamilton, Adam Trask, and Lee in *East of Eden*, and why is it important to the novel's main theme? **A)** "Thou shalt" — meaning mankind is commanded to overcome sin **B)** "Thou shalt not" — meaning mankind is forbidden from committing evil **C)** "Thou mayest" — meaning mankind has the free will to choose good over evil **D)** "Thou wilt" — meaning mankind will inevitably triumph over sin **Correct Answer: C** *Explanation:* Lee's in-depth analysis of the original Hebrew shows that "timshel" translates to "Thou mayest," giving humans the freedom — and responsibility — to select their own moral direction. This interpretation forms the philosophical foundation of the novel, supporting the Cain-and-Abel allegory that runs throughout the stories of the Trask and Hamilton families.

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_lang_lit

**Quiz Question — *East of Eden* by John Steinbeck** What does the Hebrew word **"timshel,"** as discussed by Samuel Hamilton, Adam Trask, and Lee in *East of Eden*, mean, and why is it important to the novel's main theme? **A)** "Thou shalt" — indicating that humanity is destined to conquer sin **B)** "Do thou" — indicating that humanity is instructed to conquer sin **C)** "Thou mayest" — indicating that humanity has the *free will* to choose to conquer sin **D)** "Thou wilt" — indicating that humanity will inevitably conquer sin **Correct Answer: C** *Explanation:* Lee's thorough examination of the original Hebrew shows that "timshel" — God's message to Cain in Genesis 4:7 — is best translated as "Thou mayest," which gives people the freedom to choose instead of being bound by fate or obligation. This concept of free will versus determinism serves as the moral foundation of the entire novel.

ap_lit · common_core · ib_lang_lit

**Quiz Question — *East of Eden* by John Steinbeck** What does the Hebrew word **"timshel"** mean, as discussed by Samuel Hamilton, Adam Trask, and Lee in *East of Eden*, and why does it matter for the novel's main theme? **A)** "Thou shalt" — suggesting that humans are ordered to conquer sin **B)** "Thou shalt not" — suggesting that humans are prohibited from doing evil **C)** "Thou mayest" — suggesting that humans have the free will to choose good over evil **D)** "Thou wilt" — suggesting that humans will inevitably overcome sin **Correct Answer: C** *Explanation:* Lee's thorough analysis of the original Hebrew text from Genesis 4:7 shows that "timshel" translates to "thou mayest," which gives humans the freedom — and responsibility — to select their own moral direction. This interpretation serves as the philosophical foundation of the novel, supporting the Cain-and-Abel theme and each character's battle with inherited sin and the quest for personal redemption.

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_lang_lit