The Good Earth Summary the Good Earth Is a Family Saga Centered On
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The Good Earth Summary The Good Earth is a family saga centered on the figure of Wang Lung, a simple farmer in the village of Anhwei. The novel opens on Wang Lung's wedding day, when Wang Lung arrives at the Great House of Hwang to claim his bride. He is a poor man who has come to marry a slave, the only wife he can afford, and for this reason he is very aware of his inferior status. The Old Mistress asks that they bring their first- born for her to see. Wang Lung agrees and departs with O-lan, now "his woman." O-lan is plain and simple, though a hard worker. She plans the wedding feast, and Wang Lung and his father are pleasantly surprised by the delicacy of her food. That night, they consummate the marriage. Wang Lung is happy in his life with O-lan. She is a quiet being, but diligent and respectful. Also, he finds comfort in her and soon is overjoyed to learn that she is pregnant. O-lan also takes it upon herself to go into the field and work with Wang Lung, thus bringing in a better harvest that year. Wang Lung and O-lan continue saving silver and having children. They hide the money in an earthen wall until Wang Lung decides to buy some land from the House of Hwang. There is talk in the village about his prosperity, and with that Wang Lung's mooching uncle comes around and asks for money. Wang Lung is forced to help his uncle financially because he is family. The next year a famine strikes. The harvest is minimal and hunger abounds. O-lan gives birth to a girl, something Wang Lung considers a bad omen. Eventually the family migrates south in search of food. They settle in this foreign city and make do as best as they can. During this time there is an uprising and a rich house is sacked by the poor. Wang Lung steals a rich man's gold. With this money the family heads back to the land with seeds, an ox, and renewed spirits. The village is desolate when the family returns. Ching, Wang Lung's neighbor, is still alive, but barely so. Wang Lung tells Ching he will help him plant again, and soon they become close friends. Ching later works for Wang Lung as his foreman. One night Wang Lung finds out that during the night of chaos in the south, O-lan found a collection of jewels. O-lan asks to keep two pearls, something to which Wang Lung obliges, and the next day he goes out to buy more land from the House of Hwang with the remaining jewels. Wang Lung thus becomes a rich man and begins to delve in the pleasures of life. He seeks out a concubine, Lotus, sends his sons to school, and becomes widely respected. He also realizes that, as much as he owes to O-lan, he does not love or desire her. She is simply the mother of his children. He remains bound to sustain his uncle, aunt and nephew, because they know of Wang Lung's wealth and will not work when he can provide for them. By the end of the novel the family has changed drastically. The sons have been raised without knowing the value of the land, all they know are monetary riches. They convince Wang Lung to rent the Great House in the city rather remain in the country. Wang Lung, though occasionally enjoying the pleasures of a rich man (for example fine food and clothes, and another concubine named Pear Blossom) never wholly sheds his identity as a farmer. However, his sons, who are eager to sell the land and make more money, represent the changes to come. A novel of simple beauty, The Good Earth is above all a glimpse into the life of Chinese peasants and the social changes that affect their traditions. Character List Wang Lung The protagonist of the novel, a Chinese peasant at the beginning and a rich landowner by the end. Sometimes innocent and naive, sometimes brave and pragmatic, generally gentle and caring, Wang Lung reflects the myriad thematic elements of the text, for example the role of tradition, of beauty, and of marriage. His one unwavering characteristic is his love of and appreciation for the land. Wang Lung's father Wang Lung's father exemplifies the role of elders in traditional society. As tradition dictates, Wang Lung must care for him in his old age. During the course of the novel, he is often a voice of wisdom and a witness to the changes that the family undergoes. Wang Lung's uncle The epitome of greed, Wang Lung's uncle parasitically lives off of his hard-working brother and nephew. He often asks Wang Lung for money, and when his nephew gets rich he moves his family into Wang Lung's house. He causes Wang Lung much grief, inciting a mob to raid his farm at the beginning of the novel. At the same time, he keeps Wang Lung "safe" since he is one of the heads of an infamous band of robbers, the Red Beards. These criminals leave Wang Lung alone because of his presence in the house. To end his mischief, Wang Lung turns his uncle into an opium addict. Old Mistress of the House of Hwang A symbol of the excess of wealth, she is an opium addict, a woman used to luxury and cruelty. She is the woman who gives O-lan to Wang Lung. When the house goes into decline she dies from her opium addiction. O-lan Wang Lung's wife. Previously, she had served for ten years as a servant in the House of Hwang, as a kitchen slave. She is plain, which causes her much shame and hurt throughout her life. Her feet are large and thus considered unattractive. However, despite these superficial flaws, O-lan has a rich inner life and continually exhibits resourcefulness, practicality, loyalty and patience. She embodies the giving qualities of the earth. She is also primarily responsible for Wang Lung's wealth, a fact that he never fully acknowledges. Gateman of the House of Hwang Distinguised by the mole on his face, the gateman scorns Wang Lung as a peasant at first, later respecting Wang Lung when he gains wealth. When the Great House falls into decline he is among the band of robbers that raids the house. Ching Initially Wang Lung's neighboor, during the time of famine he raids Wang Lung's house for food along with the rest of the village men. However, he also gives Wang Lung some beans for O-lan on the day before her birth. After the famine his wife dies and he gives his daughter away. He then becomes Wang Lung's right-hand man, in charge of managing the land until his dying day. When he dies Wang Lung mourns him like a brother. Cuckoo A concubine of the Old Lord in the House of Hwang, Cuckoo later becomes the manager at the town tea shop. She moves in with Wang Lung after he buys Lotus. Always a chameleon, Cuckoo survives by adapting when hard times hit. She and O-lan are bitter enemies and O- lan never welcomes her into her house. Lotus A beautiful woman who becomes Wang Lung's mistress. She is a prostitute at the tea shop until Wang Lung purchases her. Dainty, delicate, and graceful, she is O-lan's opposite. Lotus is also crafty, greedy, and manipulative. Wang Lung's eldest son A spirited and willful man, Wang Lung's eldest son wants to be a scholar. He suffers from the idleness of wealth. Before O-lan dies he marries the town beauty, a superficial woman much like Lotus. By the end of the novel we see that he has become a respected man in town, and he follows in his father's footsteps by acquiring a second wife. Wang Lung's second son Crafty, thrifty, and industrious, Wang Lung's second son becomes a grain merchant. Ultimately he controls all of the finances of the house and discourages his elder brother's spending. He marries a practical woman from the country who is completely the opposite of his brother's wife. Wang Lung's third son One of the two twins, Wang Lung's youngest son is an enigma to his father. Slated to work the land, he is unhappy with this fate and instead wishes to study. He later decides to become a soldier and becomes an important figure in the Revolution. He also shows an interest in Peach Blossom and runs away when Wang Lung takes her for a concubine. Wang Lung's first daughter Referred to as "his poor fool," Wang Lung's daughter just before the famine hits. She suffers from extreme malnutrition, and though she survives she never learns to speak or interact with others. Wang Lung has a soft spot in his heart for her and cares for her even as others mock her. Wang Lung's second daughter The second of the two twins, she is beautiful and O-lan makes sure that her feet are bound so that her husband will not reject her. She is sent to her betrothed's house when she is still young in order to avoid Wang Lung's nephew's advances. Wang Lung's nephew True to his father's nature, Wang Lung's nephew is lazy, lustful, and prone to trouble.