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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the jewels does O-lan ask for and keep for herself when she gives the rest to Wang Lung in Chapter 16?

2. Where does Wang Lung first observe young men in the city speaking of revolution in Chapter 11?

3. What does Wang Lung vow he must do in the end of Chapter 12?

4. What does the barber suggest Wang Lung have removed on his wedding day?

5. From whom has Wang Lung bought a leg of pork that hangs in his house in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. What event leads to Wang Lung's decision that he must take his family back to the land in Chapter 12?

2. How has the atmosphere of the city changed in Chapter 14? What has led to the changes?

3. What information does Wang Lung learn from others on the train in Chapter 11?

4. What preparations does Wang Lung make when he returns to his land in Chapter 15?

5. Describe O-lan's actions when she comes to Wang Lung's home. How does Wang Lung perceive his wife?

6. How does Wang Lung's uncle respond when Wang Lung yells at him in Chapter 7?

7. How does Wang Lung respond when he discovers O-lan's jewels in Chapter 16?

8. What event leads Wang Lung to stop working as a rickshaw driver in Chapter 14?

9. How does Wang Lung perceive the city of Kiangsu in Chapter 12?

10. How has Wang Lung's fate changed in Chapter 8? How does he respond to this change of fate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of superstition, faith, and luck in The Good Earth. What symbolism relates to these themes? What color is symbolic for fortune and luck to Wang Lung? How are these themes developed through character and setting in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of morality and necessity in The Good Earth. When does morality come into question in the course of the story? What leads this questioning? What morals do you feel the author expresses through Wang Lung’s narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the character of Wang Lung as the protagonist of The Good Earth. How old is Wang Lung when his character is first introduced? How old is he when the novel ends? How does Wang Lung change in the course of the novel? What are Wang Lung’s main objectives in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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