Aron Trask's Idealistic Downfall

Aron's journey from a beloved, innocent boy to a shattered young man who seeks death in war.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Golden Boy

The Beloved Child The Beautiful Face Aron is born with angelic features, golden hair, and blue eyes. Everyone loves him instinctively. He is unaware of his own charm. The Simple Goodness Aron is naturally good. He is not manipulative or jealous. He accepts the world as it is. He is content to be a part of his environment. The Dependence on Others Aron relies on his brother Cal for guidance. He is not as clever as Cal, but he is more straightforward. He is unaware of Cal's darker motives.

The Move to Salinas and Abra

The First Love The Meeting with Abra Aron meets Abra Bacon, a confident and intelligent girl. They become childhood sweethearts. She is drawn to his innocence. The Willow Tree Aron and Abra create a secret world under a willow tree. They pretend to be married. This is a perfect, pure love that Aron idealizes. The Religious Turn Aron becomes interested in religion. He decides to become a minister. He is attracted to the purity and certainty of the church. This is another attempt to find a perfect world.

The Pressure of Perfection

The Burden of Love The Father's Pride Adam is immensely proud of Aron. He sees him as the perfect son. Aron feels the weight of this expectation. The Lettuce Failure When Adam's lettuce business fails, Aron is humiliated. He cannot bear the public ridicule. He wants to escape Salinas. The Plan to Leave Early Aron decides to finish high school a year early and go to college. He wants to get away from the shame. He is driven by a need to restore his family's honor.

The Shattering of the Dream

The Revelation The Visit to Kate's Cal takes Aron to the brothel. Aron sees his mother, a whore and a murderer. The perfect image he had of his past is destroyed. The Horror Aron is horrified. He screams at Kate, calling her a monster. He cannot accept that this woman is his mother. His entire world collapses. The Flight Aron runs away. He is crying and screaming. He has lost his identity. The story he had built for himself is a lie. He cannot face his father or Abra.

The Enlistment and Death

The Escape into Death The Lie Aron cannot bear the truth. He decides to escape. He lies about his age and enlists in the army. He wants to die cleanly. The Battle of Cantigny Aron is sent to France. He participates in the first major American offensive. He is killed in action. His death is a direct result of his shattered world. The Aftermath The telegram arrives at the Trask house. Adam suffers a stroke. Cal is consumed by guilt. Aron's death is the final tragedy in a long line of sorrows.

Aron's Legacy

The Lost Paradise The Ideal Remembered Aron is remembered as a beautiful, innocent boy who was destroyed by the truth. His death is a symbol of the loss of innocence. The Impact on Abra Abra mourns Aron, but she also realizes that she never truly knew him. She loved an ideal. She is freed from the need to be perfect. The Impact on Cal Cal is haunted by his brother's death. He sees it as his own fault. Aron's death becomes the central burden of Cal's life, from which he must seek redemption.

Aron's childhood, 1900-1911

Aron's adolescence, 1911-1915

Aron's struggle with his father's expectations, 1915-1917

Aron learns the truth about his mother, spring 1918

Aron lies about his age and dies in France, spring 1918

The memory of Aron, after his death, 1918