Similarities And Differences Between The Great Gatsby And East Of Eden

What is similar between apples and oranges? And, what are different? It would be easier to see the differences between these two fruits than their similarities. One fruit is orange, the other fruit is red, and both vary in shape. However, they are both sweet, both contain vitamin C, and both are grown on trees. In East of Eden and The Great Gatsby, Adam Trask and Jay Gatsby are the orange and the apple. John Steinbeck, the author of East of Eden, portrays Adam as the naïve, honest man who lives on a farm in the Salinas Valley. F. Scott Fitzgerald writes Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby as the man, who is living the American dream, with money and a mansion. These two characters share something similar. Adam Trask and Jay Gatsby both involve in unrequited affairs that were created by their illusions; however, their lover’s intentions were different.

Adam Trask and Jay Gatsby both share similar traits in creating false realities or living in their own fantasies. Trask had “covered his life with a veil of

Adam provided land and a home for Cathy, believing that she would be happy with him. However, that wasn’t the case. Cathy considered her marriage with Adam as an “accident” and plans “not going to stay here [Salinas Valley]” (Steinbeck 157; 173). Cathy’s original ambitions were “protection and rest”, her “money was gone”, and she needed shelter; therefore, leaning towards Adam being the only man who was able to provide that for her (Steinbeck 117). On the other hand, Daisy desired money from Gatsby as she is described with a voice “full of money” (Fitzgerald 120). Including her depiction has the girl dressed in white in a “white palace” like royalty (Donaldson). Because of these intentions that their interests had and their failure to see the truth underneath their fantasies, it led to their different…not-so-happy