Novel Insights Guide To

The Good Earth

by Pearl S. Buck

Guide - $15.95 Guide On CD - $12.95

Jump to table of contents Jump to Chapter 1 & 2 Review Jump to Suggested Activities

Jump to Chapter Questions Jump to Question Answers

Author Biography	..................................... 1
Chapter 01 - 02	..................................... 3
Chapter 03 - 05	..................................... 9
Chapter 06 - 10	................................... 15
Chapter 11 - 15	................................... 21
Chapter 16 - 17	................................... 30
Chapter 18 - 21	................................... 34
Chapter 22 - 26	................................... 43
Chapter 27 - 29	................................... 51
Chapter 30 - 34	................................... 59
Vocabulary Tests	................................... 66
Test Questions	.................................. 81
Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle	.................................. 89

Chapters 01 - 02

Wang Lung, a poor Chinese farmer, awakens on the morning of his wedding, listening to his father's cough and springing from his bed to tear the paper away from the small window, declaring it is no longer needed in the spring. The east wind promises rain in a few days, and Wang Lung accepts that as a good omen. Wang Lung has had to care for his father since his mother died six years earlier, but this will be the last morning that he will have to light the fire and carry hot water to the old man. Wang Lung's father purchased a wife for him who has been a slave in the House of Hwang, the richest family in the town. Wang Lung goes into town, buying the ingredients for his wedding feast, and stopping at the gates to the great house. Overcome with terror, he decides to go have something to eat, then return. When Wang Lung returns, the gateman is there, and has great sport intimidating Wang Lung and extorting money from him. Wang Lung is brought before the old mistress of the house, who is in an opium haze. She brings O-lan, the slave woman to Wang Lung, explaining she has been a slave in the house of Hwang since she was ten and is now twenty. She was bought when her parents came from the north to escape famine, and they returned there. The old mistress commands O-lan to obey Wang Lung, bear him sons and bring the first born before her. They are dismissed as the old woman quickly loses interest. On his way back to his home, Wang Lung decides it is best not to neglect the earth gods, and buys incense to burn in their temple that was built by Wang Lung's grandfather. That evening, O-lan prepares the meal for Wang Lung, his father, uncle, cousin and neighbors as they celebrate, but she does not appear before them as it would not be seemly for her to do so before the marriage has been consummated.

The next morning, Wang Lung enjoys the luxury of being able to stay in bed while O-lan prepares the fire and heats the water to bring to his father. As he wonders whether or not she likes him, she brings him water with tea leaves, and he decides she likes him well enough. O-lan proves to be a frugal and industrious wife, as well as a woman of very few words. As she goes about mending Wang Lung's wardrobe and tidying up the house, she soon runs out of chores, and joins him in the fields. They begin to work side by side, and develop a rhythm. As they prepare to go in one evening, O-lan tells him she is with child, and he tells his father as they near the house. Wang Lung is pleased to bursting.

Suggested Activities - Chapters 01 - 02

Ask students to draw, paint or otherwise devise posters or pictures representing their concept of the way Wang Lung and O-lan look at the beginning of the story.
Assign research into the history of China during the period of time covered by this novel. Different groups of students can cover different parts of China and report on what is happening in each area.
We often consider drug abuse to be a modern problem, but the opium addiction of the old mistress makes it apparent that this has plagued society for many years. Ask students to research the history of opium abuse, including its side effects and ultimate outcomes.

Review Questions - Chapters 01 - 02

What do you know about the main character of this novel?
Why is he looking forward to having a wife?
What is his attitude toward his father?
How does he interpret the wind?
What two things had Wang Lung told his father he would not accept in a wife?
In what way has Wang Lung remained old fashioned in spite of new changes that have taken place in style?
What does Wang Lung discover when he first come to the gate at the House of Hwang?
Where does he go?
What does the gatekeeper do to take advantage of Wang Lung?
In what condition is the mistress of the house?
Read Prov. 20:1; 23:20; 23:29-30; Ecc. 10:17; Isa 5:11; Luke 21:34; Rom. 13:13. Although these verses are specifically speaking of drunkenness, they also are appropriate for drug abuse. Apply these verses to the way in which the opium has affected the mistress of the House of Hwang.
Describe the wedding "ceremony."
What disappoints Wang Lung about O-lan?
Where do Wang Lung and O-lan go on their way home? Why?
Why does O-lan prepare the food but not come out to serve the men?
What does Wang Lung wonder the first morning?
How does O-lan answer his question?
Prov. 18:22 says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing." How is Wang Lung beginning to find this true about O-lan?
How does O-lan tell Wang Lung she is going to have a child?
What happens when he tells his father?

Review Question Answers - Chapters 01 - 02

The main character is a Chinese farmer named Wang Lung. He is poor, and he and his father have been alone for six years since the death of his mother. The novel opens on the morning of his wedding day.
He has had to care for his father's needs since his mother's death; lighting the fire in the morning, bringing him hot water and cooking for him. Now that Wang Lung will have a wife, those duties will fall to her.
He resents having to care for his father's needs, but he feels it is his obligation to care for his father, and he follows the customs of his father's generation. He will not cut his pigtail without his father's permission.
He feels the wind is going to bring rain in a few days, which is a good omen, since the rain is necessary for the grain to mature.
pockmarks and a hairlip.
Wang Lung still has a pigtail, although it is the current custom to cut it off.
When he first arrives at the gate, there is no one there. Wang Lung is terrified, wishing he had brought someone with him.
He goes to the tea house to get something to eat.
The gatekeeper, who has a mole with three long hairs that he continually twirls, intimidates Wang Lung, then refuses to admit him until Wang Lung gives him some money.
The mistress is addicted to opium. She is thin, with sunken eyes and yellowed skin. As they talk, part of the time she is lucid and knows what is going on. Part of the time she is in a drug haze and does not know why he is there.
The Bible warns against drunkenness, saying whoever is intoxicated is not wise; that drunkenness brings woes, worries and disaster on those who are controlled by drink. The same is true of those who are controlled by drugs. The person is no longer in control of all of their faculties. Just as the Old Mistress was not entirely aware of what was going on with Wang Lung and O-lan, so anyone controlled by drugs or alcohol will live in a haze of disorientation.
The two stood before the Old Mistress. She tells Wang Lung what she knows of O-lan's history and gives him some assurance that she is a virgin. She admonishes O-lan to be obedient to Wang Lung and bear him sons and more sons, bringing the first son before her. With that, they are dismissed.
Her feet have not been bound, so they are large.
They go to the temple of the earth gods to burn an offering of incense. Wang Lung does not want to leave anything to chance. Although his faith is very fickle and weak, he tries to make sure he does not neglect any possibility that the gods might actually produce some results.
In their culture, it is not considered proper for the woman to be seen by other men until after the marriage has been consummated.
He wonders whether or not O-lan likes him.
She brings him tea leaves in his water, although she did not put any leaves in his father's water.
O-lan is very industrious, and she makes good use of everything Wang Lung has. She mends all of his clothing and bedding, as well as all of his farm implements and household tools. She works hard in the house, then joins him in the fields, allowing him to increase his workload.
She just tells him matter-of-factly at the end of the day.
When they first come in, his father is only thinking of his hunger. When he tells him about the child, his father forgets about his hunger in his excitement. When O-lan mentions she will prepare the food, his father forgets about the child again.