How did James Dean's role in East of Eden reflect Elia Kazan's relationship with his father?

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Elia Kazan stands on a docked ship set with arms outstretched, directing a scene for Panic in the Streets in New Orleans, with crew members and rigging visible behind him. — Elia Kazan Elia Kazan on the set of *Panic in the Streets*, 1950.

In the 1955 film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden, director Elia Kazan cast James Dean as the troubled teenager Cal Trask. Dean’s performance was noted for its profound insight and raw emotion, which effectively mirrored Kazan’s own tortured relationship with his father.1

In the film, Cal is a youth who struggles to compete with his brother for the love and approval of their stern father, Adam Trask. This dynamic of seeking paternal validation while feeling misunderstood or unloved served as a personal reflection of the director's own life experiences, allowing Kazan to channel his personal history into the character's anguished portrayal.21