Steinbeck's and Kazan's East of Eden and the Virgin Land paradigm

master's thesis

• Author: Barbara Peranić
• Mentor: Stipe Grgas (mentor)
• Committee member: Jelena Šesnić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Sven Cvek (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020-06-26, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to inquire about the significance of the Virgin Land paradigm within the American Studies field and to gain insight into the ways in which John Steinbeck and, consequently, Elia Kazan incorporate certain elements of the paradigm into their works. We have shown various ways in which both John Steinbeck and Elia Kazan are important figures in their line of work and the ways in which they masterfully manage to transfer their ideas onto their audiences. The novel succeeds in showing us Steinbeck’s true values as a writer and in incorporating important Virgin Land features, such as the spatial imaginary, agricultural frontier and the yeoman farmer, which Steinbeck decided to represent in the character of Sam Hamilton, an important secondary character. Kazan, on the other hand, deals only with the last part of the book and focuses on Cal and Aron’s relationship and people surrounding them. By having omitted the first two thirds of a book, Kazan allows himself to inspect the last third with great detail and to show us the elements of the book he chooses to, but also, to insert some of his own ideas into the story. The Virgin Land paradigm is crucial to the American Studies field and it should be studied in great detail in order to gain an insight into the entire story behind the field itself. Likewise, when studying the paradigm itself, it would be good to look at it from a different perspective, such as through the eyes of a writer or a director, to understand the different ways in which the paradigm can be represented.

• Keywords: American studies; Virgin Land; East of Eden; Steinbeck; Kazan
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:403345
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-06-28 16:14:30