When thinking about the word “wealth”, people generally think materialistically, that the more money or luxuries you are able to afford define your wealth and happiness in life. Social status is classified by the number of figures you bring in every year and people judge you based on how expensive your clothes or your furniture are. However, true wealth is not defined by material wealth, rather it consists of the emotional connection and love you receive. It does not matter how much money you have if you are not able to truly care about someone and live your life to the fullest. In East of Eden by John Steinbeck, the Hamilton family experiences poverty their whole lives, yet in reality, they are much wealthier than the Trask family who is materially wealthy but never understands the power of love.

As innovative of a mind as Samuel Hamilton had, he was not able to prevent himself from being taken advantage of numerous times. If the Hamiltons were lucky, they could get by pretty comfortably, but they were by no means whatsoever wealthy like the Trasks. The Trask family inherited a fortune from Cyrus Trask and Adam, later on, inherited money from his brother. With the amount of money they had to keep them out of poverty, it was to be expected that they lived happily and fulfilled lives, yet the majority of their lifetimes were spent miserable, dreary, and monotonous. The Trasks were not a loving family that cared deeply about each other’s happiness and success. Even though Cyrus Trask claimed he always loved Adam more, it did not cease the resentment Adam felt towards his father for treating him so harshly. Charles, however, was treated as a star child, the firstborn, but he also felt like his father did not love him. After their father’s passing, Adam and Charles continued to live unfulfilled lives as Adam married a woman who did not love him nor wanted to be with his children, and Charles lived and died alone. In many ways, it does not matter how much money the Trasks had or what brand-new shiny toys they were able to buy, so long as they had no one to share their happiness with. The Hamiltons, on the other hand, were a close-knit family that cared deeply for their family’s well-being. Lisa and Samuel Hamilton loved their children immensely and nurtured them to become blooming adults without trauma looming like a silhouette around them. Even though the Hamiltons had never been particularly material wealthy, the wealth they have acquired their whole lives was love, happiness, the satisfaction of working hard, and the amount with which they cared about each other. As all the children moved out of the Hamilton family household, the family continued to look after one another. Each and every one of the Hamiltons had someone who loved them and that quality alone made them wealthier than the Trasks. Having a hundred thousand dollars can only make you so happy without someone to value and cherish as well. 

East of Eden redefines wealth in a different light. While it may not be blatantly obvious who the wealthier family is, the reality of it is the Trask family had a successful farm and a couple hundred thousand dollars, but they were not truly happy. Adam and Charles Trask continued to crave their father’s love until his death, while Samuel and Liza Hamilton loved their children unconditionally. The Hamiltons lived the perfect, modest life the Trasks had always wanted. In actuality, true wealth means true happiness and as the cliché saying goes, money does not buy happiness.