In "East of Eden," John Steinbeck explores the concept of time, arguing that its perception is complex and often paradoxical. While one might expect that monotonous or uneventful periods would feel endlessly long, the opposite is often true. Dull moments, devoid of significant occurrences, do not mark the passage of time, leaving no memory or emotional connection to anchor it.

Conversely, experiences rich in emotion—whether joy or tragedy—are the ones that linger in our memories and make time feel expansive. Steinbeck suggests that meaningful events provide a framework that allows us to measure time, creating a sense of duration. Without these significant experiences, time feels non-existent, highlighting the importance of events in shaping our understanding of temporal passage.