The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (1931) Pinneo

About the author – Pearl S. Buck Buck was born in West Virginia, but spent much of her childhood in China with her parents, who did missionary work there After college in America, Buck married and moved to China Buck and her husband lived in Suzhou, Anhui Province, a small town on the Huai River Suzhou

About the author – Pearl S. Buck These years spent in Suzhou, a poor and rural area, served as the basis for the impoverished area and lifestyle described in The Good Earth Tried to create a faithful representation of the Chinese people

Setting China, late 1890s/early 1900s 1 st and 3 rd parts of the book are set in small, rural areas Middle part of the book is set in large city – very “worldly”

Chinese customs/traditions The color red Foot-binding –Women and their families took pride in small, perfectly shaped feet –Appealing to men for “beauty” and the sociological symbol and restrictions this put on women Religious practices/spirit world –Luck, karma Family structure Culture biased towards male children

Main characters Wang Lung – protagonist, a poor farmer living alone with his father O-Lan – Wang Lung’s wife (former servant in the House of Hwang) Wang Lung’s relatives: father, uncle, cousin Children

Essential Questions How should we treat our families? Is productivity a component of contentment? What are the repercussions of excessive greed? How do the values and traditions of the past conflict with modern values? What role does the earth/land play in the lives of the characters? Why is it such an important motif in the novel at every step of the way? ***What is the theme/message the author is trying to convey about the above subjects?***

Motifs to note *Motif = a reoccurring subject, image, or idea used purposefully by the author Pay attention to the situations and characters that relate to the following ideas: tradition family/respect for elders loyalty/disloyalty the effects of wealth/poverty the earth/the land color red