Cathy Ames in East of Eden Essay

Character Sketch

Cathy Ames

East of Eden

Cathy Ames was a very interesting character in the book, East of Eden. She was the antagonist in the book. In my opinion Cathy was a very deceiving person. Also, she manipulated many characters from the beginning to the end of the book. She killed her parents because they were to worried about her life, and set up the scene where they were killed to lead to believe that Cathy was murdered.

Cathy then changed her name and began to lead a new life. She then started to manipulate men for their money. She did this by taking pictures and using them for blackmail if the men did not pay her. Many men fell for this and in my opinion she became very powerful in a sense.

I believe Cathy was a very selfish character. While reading East of Eden I thought that she might have had mental problems. I was furious that she tried to kill her baby and later on lied about why say tried to do such a thing. Then when she gave birth to her twins sons, she acted as if she did not want them and I believe that Cathy was selfish was because she shot her husband in the shoulder.

Also Faye left all of her earnings and possessions, including the brothel to Cathy in her will. So in order to take advantage of Faye Cathy poisoned her until she died. I do not think this was right of Cathy because Faye truly seemed to care about her.

If I had the opportunity to meet Catherine Amesbury or Cathy Ames I would not take it. Cathy in my opinion is very unloyal, uncaring, unkind, selfish person. She was very betraying and deceitful. I do not believe she would be a very good mother, wife, sister, daughter, or friend. She cared only about her self and what made her happy and what pleased her. I believe she made a lot of serious mistakes in her life, which can never be forgiven nor forgotten. I believe Catherine was heartless. She manipulated many people for their money. Money seemed to be her only care in the world. She did not care about her twin sons who she tried to abort, he husband who she shot. She had no feelings.

Although I hated Cathy very much, I believe she was a very interesting character I the book. In my opinion she almost kept the book going. Everything she did leave you on a cliffhanger not knowing what crazy thing she may do next. Cathy was the character that made me not want to put the book down, but was also the character that made me the angriest. I disagreed with many of the rash decisions she made and I was not fond of her negative attitude.

I enjoyed East of Eden a lot and I do not believe that it would have been quite as good without Cathy. In my opinion every good book needs a good antagonist and I believe Cathy is one of the best ones. She was my favorite character and my least favorite character and she kept me on edge.