Facing Reality Essay

806 Words4 Pages
“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead.” (Sigmund Freud). Most people dislike getting hurt, and to prevent such an event from happening, they make up their own stories that only they believe to be true. Doing so helps them to get through life, but at the same time, it may corrupt them. In East of Eden, John Steinbeck uses his characters to show how people indulge in their imaginations to escape from reality. A variety of characters from Steinbeck’s story create their own imaginary dimension where they can hide from what is true to feel at peace. However, these characters generally end up corrupting themselves. Samuel Hamilton is a content and youthful character. He lives his life to the fullest and even though as days turn into years and he is getting older, he acts as though he is still young. “Samuel may have thought and played and philosophized about death, but he did not really believe in it. His world did not have death as a member.” (383). Samuel does not believe in death. He thinks that he can live on forever, he makes himself believe that he, and everyone around him, is immortal and that nothing can bring any of them down. But in reality, he is starting to get old. The thought of immortality and youth is what keeps Samuel going, and makes him feel at peace. But once reality kicks in, his imaginary walls start to crumble down. “Una’s death struck Samuel like a silent earthquake. He said no brave and reassuring words, he simply sat alone and rocked himself.” (363). Una’s death caused a big shock for Samuel. One day he believes in Dang 2 immortality and that death is only but a myth, and the next day he finds a dear one gone and taken away by death. In just a short amount of time, his dear daughter was taken away from him. Samuel has no idea what to do; the fact that death will come upon him
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