How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Even God can have a preference, can he? Let's suppose God liked lamb better than vegetables. I think I do myself. Cain brought him a bunch of carrots maybe. And God said, 'I don't like this. Try again. Bring me something I like and I'll set you up alongside your brother.' But Cain got mad. His feelings were hurt. And when a man's feelings are hurt he wants to strike at something, and Abel was in the way of his anger." (22.4.47)
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty basics. What exactly is the relationship between hurt and anger? According to Samuel, if the story of Cain and Abel tells us anything, it's that anger is an easy way to deal with pain. Why didn't Cain just try again with his offering? Because then we wouldn't have a story that tells us something about the nature of jealousy.
Quote #5
He knew she preferred his brother, but that was nothing new to him. Nearly everyone preferred Aron with his golden hair and the openness that allowed his affection to plunge like a puppy. Cal's emotions hid deep in him and peered out, ready to retreat or attack. He was starting to punish Abra for liking his brother, and this was nothing new either. (27.4.61)
Ugh—imagine always coming in second place. In this case, second place is also last place. Needless to say, it's given Cal some issues; it means he hates everybody. Jealousy sure is a nasty business.
Quote #6
Far from disliking Aron, he loved him because he was usually the cause for Cal's feelings of triumph. He had forgotten—if he had ever known—that he punished because he wished he could be loved as Aron was loved. (27.4.65)
Ouch. That's some stuff for a therapist right there. He has gotten so used to being jealous that now he thrives off of it. But notice that here, Cal doesn't take his jealousy out on Aron because Aron is the source of his high. It's really when Adam becomes the source of favoritism that things start to get ugly.