East of Eden Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beans

Cal's (James Dean) father, Adam Trask (Raymond Massey), lost most of his money investing in ways to refrigerate lettuce. Cal was constantly trying to win his father's love, so he attempted to buy his love by paying Adam back all the money he lost. Cal did this by going into business with Will Hamilton, a family friend, who invested in beans.

Answer: Ring

Abra's (Julie Harris) mother died when she was young, and her father got remarried. In order to get back at her father, Abra stole her new mother's ring and threw it away into the water.

Answer: He read the verse number.

In an act of rebellion, Cal threw all the ice chunks used to refrigerate the lettuce down a chute. His "punishment" was to read some Bible verses. While Cal was reading, Adam told him not to read the verse number, but Cal deliberately read the number anyway, causing Adam to tell Cal that he would never be good.

Answer: Monterey

Kate (Jo Van Fleet) left Adam when the boys were born, and moved to the town next to Salinas, Monterey. At the beginning of the movie Cal was following Kate, to try to talk to her. In Monterey Kate ran a prostitution house.

Answer: On the ferris wheel

Abra was waiting for her boyfriend Aron to meet her at a local carnival. She saw Cal while she was waiting, and decided to go on the ferris wheel with him. While they were on the ferris wheel, Cal kissed Abra. Abra became very confused after this point, because she couldn't decide between Aron and Cal.

Answer: His mother

Will Hamilton told Cal that he needed about $5,000 to go into the bean business. Cal, having no other person to turn to for the money, asked his mother for it. He convinced her, and she gave him the money.

Answer: False

After Adam refused Cal's money, Cal's jealousy took control of him and he brought Aron to Kate, their mother, shattering Aron's belief that Kate was dead. Aron went crazy and enlisted in the army. Adam tried to convince Aron to get off the train and come home, but Aron reacted by smashing his head through the train window. Adam had a stroke after this, and Cal felt worse than ever.

In the end, it was Abra who begged Adam to reconcile with Cal.

Answer: The nurse

After Adam had his stroke, a tactless nurse was assigned to take care of him at the Trask house. After Abra asked Adam to let Cal do something for him, Adam told Cal that he couldn't stand the nurse. Cal replied that he couldn't stand her either, so Adam asked Cal if he could take care of him instead of the nurse.

Answer: She thought Cal was watching them.

At the beginning of the movie, Abra was Aron's girlfriend. While she and Aron were up in the loft of the Trask's barn, Abra told Aron that she felt like Cal was watching them, and that it made her nervous. Abra moved to a new spot in the loft so that Cal couldn't see her.

Answer: Best Supporting Actress-Jo Van Fleet

The movie was nominated for four Oscars: Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. James Dean's nomination became the first posthumous nomination in Academy Award history.

I hope you enjoyed the quiz!