Our study of the "early history of humanity" through the Book of Genesis tends to be a study of the overall, when perhaps it would be good just to proceed through the story incrementally. I say this here for a specific reason: Prior to and including The Fall (so-called), the words of the Lord indicate no personal involvement from him in the unfolding history of humanity. Adam and Eve might have just lived their lives, and their offspring would have lived their respective lives, and all would be settled after death.
It is perhaps worth noting, then, that Eve declares unbidden that Cain's birth was mediated for her through the Lord. No such expression of gratitude (or at least shared responsibility) has been demanded from Eve, yet she offers it nonetheless. This is a curious act on the part of a person who is ostensibly a member of a species thoroughly depraved. If indeed Eve's act is a remnant of some residual goodness remaining until mankind's point of total depravity (Genesis 6:5), we are not so informed.
This, of course, would make us think about that supposed state of total evil on the part of humanity. Could the species have continued to exist if the only thoughts in the hearts of women--in this case, mothers--was only evil all the time? Sure, men--in this case, fathers, if they were worthy of the name--might be totally depraved, but mothers?
The only way we can understand a totally depraved humanity is as a collective figure of mythology--not untrue, as if it were a lie, but unrealistic insofar as it might relate to our present understanding of our species. I believe that we will find that woman--as a collective protagonist in the myth--is more of a hero than man.
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