What is her significance in East of Eden?
Cathy Ames, whose “aims” are pure evil, clearly represents Satan. Unfeeling, uncaring whatsoever, she tempts people sexually, and brings pain to everyone. As a prostitute, Cathy/Kate practices sadomasochism using knives and whips to degrade the human body. From birth she was “a monster,” an extreme of evil and lacking that part that makes us human. She is also depicted as a witch, an instrument of Satan, and as cat, a familiar of a witch. She remains necessary to the novel to contrast the other characters and illustrate them, even though at times they “sin,” as human beings. Although she is golden-haired and possesses a face like an angel, Cathy also possesses a physical characteristic in line with the biblical Satan: “her feet were fat and round and stubby with fat insteps almost like little hoofs (p.73). Satan, similarly, can be recognized by his cloven hoof. Charles says to Cathy: “I don’t think I’m half as man as you are under that nice skin. I think you’re a devil” (p. 116). Thus,
