'East of Eden' is an adaptation of the novel by American author John Steinbeck. It was also the first film starring the famous James Dean. It was created by comparing the human desire to be loved to Cain and Abel in Genesis. In the movie, the older brother monopolizes his father's love, and the younger brother feels resentment towards his father for not appreciating him. However, the father and the son later forgive each other and reconcile. In Genesis, the older brother Cain is the sinner, but in the movie, it's the younger brother who sins.
At one time, the writer wondered why the title of the movie was 'East of Eden'. And while reading the Bible, he realized that "Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden" (Genesis 4:16), and found that 'East of Eden' symbolically represents the area where the sinners lived.
'Garden of Eden' and 'East of Eden'. Although the difference between the words is small, you can see that the meaning is very different. If the 'Garden of Eden' is like heaven where God was the protector, the 'East of Eden' is the place where sinners who kick off God's protection are sent to live.
We are quite familiar with the word 'East'. Indian poet Tagore wrote a poem titled 'Lantern of the East' for Korea, which was drowning in the gloom under Japanese colonial rule. [The lines of the quatrain: "In the golden age of Asia, Korea was one of its lamp bearers, And that lamp is waiting to be lit once again, For the illumination of the East.]
As such, our regional location, the 'East' of Asia, contains a positive and hopeful message.
However, the current situation is very worrisome. With the launch of a new government, the great powers are calling on us to stand on one side. The Korean government is also formulating a new diplomatic strategy, but it doesn't seem to be what the great powers want.
It is demanding a choice not only in the field of military and security but also in the field of economics. The global village that was united in the name of 'globalization' is now colliding with the concept of 'new security'. The problem is that the more you choose one, the greater the dissatisfaction with the other. We earnestly hope that we will deal with this moment wisely and become a "lamp of the East" rather than an "East of Eden".
