Drawing on what Kass has to say (and aware that your classmates will read and respond to what you write!) please say a few words about how the narrative about Noah furthers the concerns present in the account of the first sin in Genesis 3.
From the offspring of Adam and Eve, two main lineages are derived–one from Seth and one from Cain–and much of Genesis 4-11 is used to describe this. Admittedly, these lengthy descriptions of offspring seem unremarkable and perhaps even unnecessary to the narrative Genesis presents, but, as Kass notes, they may be more than what they seem. By aggregating the time spans of the offspring lineage, we can see that Abram is the first man born after Adam’s death. As such, he is the first person born with the knowledge that he will eventually die. For others, this realization of mortality was a lot to handle. Many sought escape from their inevitable reality in a source of comfort: beauty. Kass explains that beauty acted as a “haven for the ugliness of disintegration.” This lust for beauty, which parallels Adam and Eve’s lust for knowledge despite God’s command, eventually triggered the onset of mankind’s downfall. As the god-like descendants of Seth mixed with the artificial human-like descendants of Cain, the result was corruption, violence, and selfishness. God responded with a flood, to wipe out all of mankind as a sort of new beginning. God does however spare Noah, as well as his wife, sons, and the rest of Earth creatures. This can be explained by Noah’s virtue. Unlike others at the time who sought beauty and Adam and Eve who sought to be god-like, Noah accepted his mortality and domesticated his sexual urges, which pleased God.
jrundle 
Firstly, I enjoyed reading your response as it was very well written. I agreed with most of what you said. However, I was confused on the part towards the end in which you state, “Noah accepted his mortality and domesticated his sexual urges, which made God happy.” Perhaps it is the phrasing of “domesticated his sexual urges.” Do you mean that what truly made God happy was Noah’s consistent decision to be obedient to God and not give into temptation and act out of selfishness? Or are you focusing on the issue of beauty that the rest of mankind was struggling with at the time?
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I agree with you that the discovery of human mortality was a lot to handle. However, there is more in this discovery than this. I feel like you can relate their realization of mortality and their lust for beauty to their want for immortality. Maybe they were pursuing beauty, glory, etc. because they saw these as a way to regain immortality or at least feel immortal. In doing so, they actually fall further away from God, while Noah, accepting his mortality, comes closer.
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It’s interesting that you say “Adam and Eve sought to be god-like.” While this is one way to interpret Eve’s choice to eat the fruit, do you also think she was tempted by the appearance of the fruit? I liked your commentary on Kass’ quote about beauty acting as a “haven for the ugliness of disintegration.” I find it interesting that in seeking beauty, both Eve and the descendants created disintegration. Conversely, Noah, who did not lust for beauty, created unity.
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