Summary:
Pearl S. Buck's second novel accentuates personalities and physical appearances, setting and conflict to develop its plot. The apparent conflict within the introduction of the story is simply Wang Lung, and his family's struggle to survive in the impoverished area in which they live, and the numerous struggles they encounter.
First Summary - Novel: The Good Earth
The following summary of Pearl S. Buck's second novel: The Good Earth, will include: an introduction of the main characters, a description of those characters' personalities and physical appearances, a description of the setting, an explanation of the apparent conflict, and a brief plot summary.
Wang Lung, his old widowed father, O-Lan; Wang Lung's wife and a life long slave to the great house of Hwang, are the main characters.
Wang Lung is a painfully average farmer, shrouded in burnished earth hued swart skin blackened by the hot sun, eternally hung above the friable fields. A lacquered ebony braid adorns his bald head, spilling down his back. Wang Lung, teeming with pride seeks a servitude and passive wife to bear him many sons, to amass great wealth. His widowed Father remains nameless, and his presence serves solely to provide greater insight to Wang Lung's life, in his honor and respect for his elders. He wishes to see his only living son, Wang Lung, married, father many sons, and prosper before his death. O-Lan, whom throughout the novel is called the womyn, only once referred to by her birth name, (ironically, it is by her previous master) possesses an honest square face, with a short, broad nose, with large black nostrils, and a large mouth, she is not ugly or beautiful. Humble and subservient, O-Lan is the perfect Chinese peasant wife, eternally silent, she possesses no expectations, serving her husband day after day,accommodating his every whim. She shows no sign of discontentment or dissatisfaction with
her exasperating life. She serves as a slave, bound not by chains but by marriage
Following the partial overthrow of the Ching Dynasty of the Manchus in 1911 by Sun Yat-sen, most local military governors of imperial satellite provinces were unwilling to be lorded over by the revolutionary government. Resulting in the establishment of separate territories, each lasting until the Qing Dynasty, and Kuomintang leader Sun Yat-sen sought the help of foreign powers.² Failing to obtain aid from the Western democracies, in 1921 he turned to the Soviet Union for political expediency. Newly initiated Soviet leadership created a dual policy of support for both Sun and the newly established Communist Party of China.² Hence the emerging struggle for power in China between the Nationalist war lords and the Communists, empowered by the soviets until the death of Sun Yet-sen in 1925, then followed the support of the Japanese and Mao Tse-tung.² It is within this period of strife and civil unrest that Wang Lung's tale is told. No other clue is given to the exact location of the house of Wang.
The apparent conflict within the introduction of the story is simply Wang Lung, and his family's struggle to survive in the impoverished area in which they live, and the numerous struggles they encounter. The story begins on the day of Wang lungs marriage, he sets off to prepare for his wedding and meet his future bride. Following the festivities Wang Lung and his wife return to the routine of farming, until one day she discovers she is with child, this is glorious news for the house of Wang. They continue with the farming routine each day until it is time for the child's birth. A son is born, signifying great joy and happiness to come.
Regardless of hardship, struggle, and strife, Wang Lung and his family must never forget that above all else, they must thank the good earth.
This is the complete article, containing 576 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
