Great Love and Great Suffering

In March, I read several difficult books; at least they were for me. I seldom go back and reread a book because I think there are many books I have not read. Now seemed the time to change my stance. After such difficult books, it seemed like the perfect time to pick up my favorite novel: 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck. I have found the book to be better than it was the first time! 

Through brilliant writing, Steinbeck explores the extremes we find in humanity: good and evil. The characters in the novel who are the most compelling to me are the ones who struggle with being good—those who have an ethical system and they grapple daily trying to do right. The wise Chinese man, Lee, states while discussing the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, 'If the story is not about the hearer he will not listen. And I here make a rule—a great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last.' The brilliance of Lee's statement is that it reflects on the book 'East of Eden.' The book is about us. It is about me grappling with my ethical system to do right. 

April is the start of year three for the Great Books reading project, and we head back to read the ancient Greeks. The first reading is the Greek tragedy 'Prometheus Bound' by Aeschylus. I have not read this before and loved reading it. Reading this alongside 'East of Eden,' I found a similar theme. 

In the drama, Zeus is angry with Prometheus for giving away some of his powers to Man. Prometheus says, 'I place in them blind hopes.' and 'Besides this, I gave them fire.' Man becomes more powerful with fire. This ignites Zeus's anger. Prometheus does not regret what he has done. He will not bend and has a horrific punishment. The pull between Zeus and Prometheus to determine what is right and good is similar to the tension in 'East of Eden' between good and evil. 

Richard Rohr says that two things cause significant growth: great suffering and great love. Both of these have traveled with me on my life's journey. As I reflect on my life, I see an evolution in my ethical system. In his book 'The Universal Christ,' Richard Rohr writes: 'humans are fashioned to love people more than principles.' I am hoping that my ethical system is evolving to love. It is much simpler. In this challenge of loving people, Steinbeck's theme shines through: the tension between good and evil is what makes us human. Prometheus, in his wisdom states, 'Time in its ageing course teaches all things.' Now, for me to be a good student.

Photo by Andreas Stiebe in Rome

Currently reading:

• Psalm (5th Century BCE by King David and Solomon
• The First Four Books of Poems (1995) by Louise Glück
• The History (425 BC) by Herodotus
• Kajsa Kavat (1950) by Astrid Lindgren
• Every Thing is Sacred (2021) by Richard Rohr and Patrick Boland
• The Universal Christ (2019) by Richard Rohr
• East of Eden  (1951) by John Steinbeck
• The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (2020) by Erik Larson

Completed:

• Prometheus Bound (450 BC) by Aeschylus
• The Correspondence (2017) by J.D. Daniels
• Averno (2006) by Louise Glück
• What Unites Us (2017) by Dan Rather
• Proverbs (8th Century BC) by King Solomon
• The Waves (1931) by Virginia Woolf
• High Achiever: The Incredible Story of One Addict's Double Life (2017) by Tiffany Jenkins