Book Cover
PAGES
357
ANNOTATION
Wang Lung shows that hard work brings joy and confidence while idleness brings sorrowful discontent.
SUMMARY
The Good Earth takes place in turn-of-the-century China (1920). It follows a farmer named Wang Lung. He marries a slave, O-lan, and together they begin to create a great life. Wang Lung's crops finally start to give them enough money and resources to have a comfortable life. They put money and food away for a rainy day. O-lan eventually has children. Their first two children are boys and the third is a girl. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, a famine comes. Wang Lung watches as his community starves and realizes he must do something before his family dies. He reluctantly takes his family on what he calls a dragon (a train) to a southern city. There he and his family are able to work and beg and earn just enough money to keep them fed. Eventually he is able to return to his land and purchase ox and seeds. He and O-lan's hard work once again brings them wealth and joy. Eventually, Wang Lung becomes idle. He hires others to take care of his lands and find himself very bored and unhappy. He hurts his wife in the worst way imaginable and, while he has incredible wealth, finds his family falling apart.
MY REVIEW
This book was very shocking and heartbreaking to me. However, I came away with a very valuable lesson that has had me thinking ever since I read it. This book is masterfully yet simply written. It was hard to read how women were treated in China at this time. At one point I wanted to reach through the book and strangle Wang Lung. I noticed after reading it, that one of the sub genres of this book is a parable. As I started thinking of this book in terms of a parable I grew to really love it and I found so much more meaning from it. This book, in a surprising and beautiful way, taught me that hard work brings joy and fulfillment. It made me ponder on how I could better teach my children the joy of hard work in a world full of affluence. I'm thankful for this book and what it has and continues to teach me.
RATING
Quality Rating: Gold
Popularity Rating: Emerald
POINTS TO REMEMBER
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Buck, P. (1931). The good earth. New York, NY/USA. John Day Company.
PAGES
357
PURCHASING OPTIONS
Hardcover $24.29
Paperback $15.55
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Audiobook $19.95
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Hardcover $31.95
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Mass Market Paperback from $10.22
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Audio CD $11.57
ANNOTATION
Wang Lung shows that hard work brings joy and confidence while idleness brings sorrowful discontent.
SUMMARY
The Good Earth takes place in turn-of-the-century China (1920). It follows a farmer named Wang Lung. He marries a slave, O-lan, and together they begin to create a great life. Wang Lung's crops finally start to give them enough money and resources to have a comfortable life. They put money and food away for a rainy day. O-lan eventually has children. Their first two children are boys and the third is a girl. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, a famine comes. Wang Lung watches as his community starves and realizes he must do something before his family dies. He reluctantly takes his family on what he calls a dragon (a train) to a southern city. There he and his family are able to work and beg and earn just enough money to keep them fed. Eventually he is able to return to his land and purchase ox and seeds. He and O-lan's hard work once again brings them wealth and joy. Eventually, Wang Lung becomes idle. He hires others to take care of his lands and find himself very bored and unhappy. He hurts his wife in the worst way imaginable and, while he has incredible wealth, finds his family falling apart.
MY REVIEW
This book was very shocking and heartbreaking to me. However, I came away with a very valuable lesson that has had me thinking ever since I read it. This book is masterfully yet simply written. It was hard to read how women were treated in China at this time. At one point I wanted to reach through the book and strangle Wang Lung. I noticed after reading it, that one of the sub genres of this book is a parable. As I started thinking of this book in terms of a parable I grew to really love it and I found so much more meaning from it. This book, in a surprising and beautiful way, taught me that hard work brings joy and fulfillment. It made me ponder on how I could better teach my children the joy of hard work in a world full of affluence. I'm thankful for this book and what it has and continues to teach me.
RATING
Quality Rating: Gold
Popularity Rating: Emerald
GENRE & SUB GENRES
Classics
Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
Cultural > China
Literature
Parable
APPEAL FACTORS
This classic book is about Pre-revolutionary China and would appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about history or specifically about the Chinese culture. It is very symbolic and deep even though it is written in simple and clear language. While it is an easy read, this is a book one could read multiple times and still learn something new each time. The author, although she was a feminist, does a great job at subjectively showing what life was like in this time period for the women of China.
BOOKTALKING
This book has a strong female character. While she hardly talks and is very submissive, her actions show just how strong she is. O-lan gives birth during a break from working in the fields and goes out right back to work before the sun sets that very day. She sacrifices so much for her husband and her children. She is so selfless it becomes powerful.
Wang Lung hates his wife's unbound feet. Ironically, it is her unbound feet that allow her to work as hard as she does on the fields and bring in more wealth for Wang Lung.
The Good Earth shows the importance of working hard and remembering your roots. Wang Lung often forgets his roots when he becomes wealthy and idle. He is truly happy when he is doing what he loves: working.
DISCUSSION POINTS
How did the House of Hwang's rice field become a sign and and symbol to Wang Lung? Why does he purchase it? Why does he regret it?
How does Wang Lung regard his daughter who is severely retarded? How does he regard her when she first arrives?
Why does the author include descriptions of foreigners?
How did you feel when Wang Lung stole the gold from the rich man? Did you feel bad for the rich man? Do you think Buck wants us to feel bad for him? Does this gold become a curse or a blessing?
What do the pearls that O-lan stole symbolize? Do you think these pearls were a curse or a blessing? Why does she treasure them?
Do you feel sympathy towards O-lan, Lotus, or both? Why?
WHY THIS BOOK?
One of the blogs I follow (71toes) has this book on her recommended reads list. It intrigued me because of the time period in which it takes place. The summary on the back as well as the 'classics' sticker on the outside all drew my interest even more.
THE AUTHOR
Pearl S. Buck Bio
Interview
Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
Cultural > China
Literature
Parable
APPEAL FACTORS
This classic book is about Pre-revolutionary China and would appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about history or specifically about the Chinese culture. It is very symbolic and deep even though it is written in simple and clear language. While it is an easy read, this is a book one could read multiple times and still learn something new each time. The author, although she was a feminist, does a great job at subjectively showing what life was like in this time period for the women of China.
BOOKTALKING
This book has a strong female character. While she hardly talks and is very submissive, her actions show just how strong she is. O-lan gives birth during a break from working in the fields and goes out right back to work before the sun sets that very day. She sacrifices so much for her husband and her children. She is so selfless it becomes powerful.
Wang Lung hates his wife's unbound feet. Ironically, it is her unbound feet that allow her to work as hard as she does on the fields and bring in more wealth for Wang Lung.
The Good Earth shows the importance of working hard and remembering your roots. Wang Lung often forgets his roots when he becomes wealthy and idle. He is truly happy when he is doing what he loves: working.
DISCUSSION POINTS
How did the House of Hwang's rice field become a sign and and symbol to Wang Lung? Why does he purchase it? Why does he regret it?
How does Wang Lung regard his daughter who is severely retarded? How does he regard her when she first arrives?
Why does the author include descriptions of foreigners?
How did you feel when Wang Lung stole the gold from the rich man? Did you feel bad for the rich man? Do you think Buck wants us to feel bad for him? Does this gold become a curse or a blessing?
What do the pearls that O-lan stole symbolize? Do you think these pearls were a curse or a blessing? Why does she treasure them?
Do you feel sympathy towards O-lan, Lotus, or both? Why?
WHY THIS BOOK?
One of the blogs I follow (71toes) has this book on her recommended reads list. It intrigued me because of the time period in which it takes place. The summary on the back as well as the 'classics' sticker on the outside all drew my interest even more.
THE AUTHOR
Pearl S. Buck Bio
Interview
REVIEWS
SIMILAR TITLES/AUTHORS
Now In November by Josephine Winslow Johnson
Scarlet Sister Mary by Julia Peterkin
Years of Grace by Margaret Ayer Barnes
AWARDS
Pulitzer Prize for Novel (1932)
William Dean Howells Medal (1935)
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Pre-revolutionary China
- Hard working Chinese farmer
- Mans relationship to the earth
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