Who Is Wang Lung In The Good Earth

This book started with Wang Lung introducing himself and how his life is like. He lived with his father mostly because his father was really sick and Wang Lung had to take care of him. His father was a traditional and moral man. He did not approve many things that went on in the house. Later on, he went to the house of the Huang’s and got a slave to be his wife. Her name was O-Lan. O-Lan was a slave and she was treated really terribly most of her life, even when she married Wang Lung. Together they had 5 children: three boys and two girls, each with very different characteristics.

“Now if the water had receded...Wang Lung would never have gone again to the great tea shop.”. “[He] might have forgotten the pointed face on the scroll.” (Buck 176) The waters not receding lead Wang to lust, this idleness lead to lust, and his lust lead to trouble at his home. The biggest problem, however, that Wang Lung contends with comes in chapter 13 when they have to live in the south. “Not food enough to feed savage hunger and not cloths enough to cover bone.”. “Wang Lung lived in the foundations of poverty.” (Buck 113). This was his biggest challenge because no food, no clothes, and horrible poverty as he had not previously known. In conclusion Wang Lung has faced dire hardships, but none compare to his time in the

The historical classic, “The Good Earth”, revolves around the life of Wang Lung, introducing the average Chinese farmer on his wedding day to the slave O-lan. Together, the newly married couple care for Wang Lung’s father and farm the land, prospering from the fruits of their labor. Their early life continues to bring great fortune when they are able to purchase land from the House of Hwang, who O-lan served, and when their first two children are born sons.

The novel, The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck, takes place outside of a small village in China during the early twentieth century. Women, during this time period, have little say in anything involving their lives. They are expected to take care of the house, as well as tending to the children and men of the family, whether it be the husband, his father, or brothers. Women possess the skills to provide for and serve the family, and that is what they do. In this novel Wang Lung is a typical, poor farmer. He spends his days tending to the fields and his father. When Wang Lung and O-lan marry, he is pleased that she models an adequate wife by doing what she is supposed to do and more. Lung’s life changes drastically once O-lan enters it. He gradually

The fact that Wang Lung is caring about a “slave”, as women were commonly referred to, shows that he deeply cares about his family. Even though Wang Lung loves his land, he cannot let go of his own. Wang Lung wants his sons and daughters to have happy

Despite the multiple decisions that Wang Lung chooses to make, the reader still observes that Wang Lung is a human. This makes it possible to understand Wang Lung’s faults are just him being humanly imperfect. Even if Wang Lung had generated more sound resolutions, perfection would still be unattainable by him. A quote from Liza M. Wiemer states, “For whatever it’s worth, I believe we’re born imperfect, and perfection, whatever that may be, is unattainable by us mere humans.” Wang Lung is comparable to all other mere humans in the idea that no one is perfect and all people make mistakes.

“The Good Earth” book describes the life of a Chinese farmer, Wang Lung, and the struggles he goes through during his life. In the beginning of the book, he marries a young slave named Olan. She is a devoted, selfless, hardworking wife. In my mind, she is the most admirable character in the novel.

In Pearl S. Buck’s novel, The Good Earth, the protagonist, Wang Lung, starts out as a very poor farmer in China. He marries a slave named O-lan and starts a family with her. Famine soon strikes the town and there is no food to be found anywhere. Wang Lung moves his family South in hopes of finding a job there. Eventually, a group of poor people raid the homes of the rich. Wang Lung and O-lan both join in, getting away with enough gold and valuables to get back to their land in the North. Wang Lung uses this stolen money to buy more land and hire laborers. He quickly becomes one of the richest men in his town. Wang Lung, however, does not know that with great wealth comes great responsibility. His wealth corrupts him and his moral judgements become blurred. Wang

Pearl S. Buck’s character, Wang Lung, in her novel, The Good Earth, is one who acts and thinks immorally. His morally ambiguous nature is evident through many incidents involving himself and his family, which mirrors the theme of complicated situations brees irrationality and immoral decisions.these desperate and newly found situations in Twentieth Century China allows the audience to easily sympathize with Wang Lung when in current society, many of his thoughts and actions would create an immense hatred for his complex

The actions Wang Lung takes in the southern city of Kiangsu show how desperation can manipulate anyone’s actions and corrupt their values. In the beginning of the story, Wang Lung has a set of strong morals-- he detests stealing, prizes hard work, and respects his elders. However, due to a famine, Wang Lung and his family are forced to move to Kiangsu. In this great, ostentatious city with “...food spilling out of the markets, ... the streets of the silk shops flying brilliant banners of black and red and orange silk to announce their wares, …[and] rich men clothed in satin and velvet…” (Buck 120), Wang Lung, who comes from a poor farming village, feels like a foreigner.

This shows Wang Lung’s determination to become respected since being educated is a sign of higher status and wealth. Wang Lung’s greed for respect and wealth is one of the main themes of The Good Earth as his hunger for a higher social standing changes him and his

Quote #1: "He had no articulate thought of anything; there was only this perfect sympathy of movement, of turning this earth of theirs over and over to the sun, this earth which formed their home and fed their bodies and made their gods (36). " The land Wang Lung worked was what he lived off, all the money that he earned was from all his hard-earned work. Constant sweating and labor to keep his farm running, it kept him and his family feed. What is so significant about this quote is that Wang Lung talks about how there was a perfect sympathy of movement showing that he had been doing it for so long that it just because another thing to him.

Wang Lung shows frugality and prudence with his money for the future along with loyalty to his father. Wang Lung, although somewhat reckless in spending for his wedding day, saved up enough money to be prepared, and uses his money sparingly, showing his thought of the future. Wang Lung is also optimistic about his future on the day he goes to pick up O-Lan by thinking of how wonderful it will be to have a wife and sons to carry on his legacy. Wang Lung cares about his future, and tries to prepare to have a good one, even when times look tough. Wang Lung also shows loyalty, with a great sense of filial piety and respect toward his father.

In The Good Earth, being rich separates you from the land and can lead to trouble. Wang Lung faces this issue since as his wealth escalates, he becomes more corrupted and moves away from his original self. In this way, his life is a prime example of how traditional values deteriorate under the influence of fortune. The most peace and joy filled period in the Wang family existence comes when they are just wealthy enough to have everything they need.

Once the novel comes to an end, we notice clearly the way Wang Lung changed. In the beginning of the novel we learned many ancient Chinese traditions by observing Wang Lung as a simple peasant, but as he becomes a wealthy landowner his life collapses. This rapid change of social class makes it difficult for anyone who intends to keep their traditional values until their death. This fantastic novel by Pearl S. Buck reminds us that we can never forget our traditional values, because if that happens your life will collapse just the way Wang Lung unfortunately