1. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Historical Context
The Role of Women
About the Author

2. Historical Context
1644 – 1912

3. Historical Context
1644 – 1912 China was ruled by the Qing Dynasty

4. Historical Context In the 1700s, China was a global economic power.
People the world over wanted Chinese products such as tea, silk, and porcelain.

5. Historical Context
But no Chinese export compared to Opium in popularity and profit.

6. Historical Context
Other global powers began to fight for control and China and its exports.

7. Historical Context
All this fighting was taking a toll on the Chinese people
Everyone was stacking bills except the poor Chinese workers.

8. Historical Context
First Opium War (1839 – 1842) and Second Opium War (1856 – 1860) were fought for Chinese sovereignty but ultimately weakened China.

9. Historical Context
The Boxer Rebellion (1899 – 1901) was an uprising of Chinese workers against foreign (British, American, Military, Missionary, everyone!) presence.

10. Historical Context
In 1908, China’s emperor dies. The next emperor is only 2 years old.
In1911 the Qing dynasty was overthrown and replaced by The Republic of China.

11. (In the context of the book)
The Role of Women
(In the context of the book)
1882 – 1939

12. The Role of Women
Women had a pretty tough life during this period in China.

13. The Role of Women
Women were married to (basically sold to) a man their parents chose.
They left home permanently and lived with the husband’s family.
Filial piety kept both men and women from questioning their elders.

14. Men and women were expected to practice “filial piety”, which means respect for one's parents and elders.
The young must honor the old. The older you are, the more respect you get.

15. The Role of Women Women were expected to cook, clean, and have babies!
The birth of a son was seen as a sign of good luck.
The birth of a girl was seen as a bad omen.

16. The Role of Women
Men were not expected to be faithful and could marry as many wives as they could afford.

17. The Role of Women
In the 11th century, someone decided that teeny tiny feet were really beautiful.
This began the custom of foot-binding which continued until the early 20th century!

18. The Role of Women
Foot-binding was a painful and irreversible process. Women with bound feet suffered pain, infection, and difficulty walking.
It was also a sign of wealth, prosperity, and beauty.

19. The Role of Women

21. Don’t get too judge-y though…
English women weren’t doing much better…
Here is the effect
of wearing a corset!

22. Also…
Ballerinas
High heel wearers!
So yeah…

23. About the Author
Pearl S. Buck
1892 – 1973

24. About the Author
Pearl S. Buck (née Sydenstricker) was born in West Virginia in 1892.
When she was only 5 months old, her family moved to China to work as missionaries.

25. About the Author
She lived in China until 1910 when she enrolled at Randolph – Macon Women’s College in Virginia.

26. About the Author After graduating, she returned to China in 1914.
She married John Lossing Buck in 1917.

27. About the Author In 1920, their first daughter Carol was born.
In 1925, they adopted the first of 7 children.

28. About the Author
In 1930, Pearl published her first novel, East Wind: West Wind.
In 1931, she publish The Good Earth, using tales her Chinese nanny told her as a child.

29. About the Author
In 1932, she received the Pulitzer Prize for the novel The Good Earth.
In 1938, she received the Nobel Prize for Literature.

30. About the Author
Later, she established Welcome House (1949) and The Pearl S. Buck Foundation (1964) to care for needy Asian-American children.

31. About the Author Pearl S. Buck died in 1973.
She is credited with helping to “demythologize” China in the American mind.