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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. The narrator says of Lotus in Chapter 24, "... and with her wide eyes and small mouth she looked more than ever like a plump little" what?

2. Whom does Wang Lung order to arrange the matter of renting a house in town for his family to move to in Chapter 29?

3. How old is Wang Lung's youngest daughter in Chapter 25?

4. Where does Wang Lung have Ching buried in Chapter 29?

5. What does Wang Lung purchase for the "goddess of mercy" after his grandson is born in Chapter 29?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is at the root of the conflict between O-lan and Cuckoo in Chapter 21?

2. How does Wang Lung perceive Lotus's friendship with his aunt in Chapter 21?

3. What is the source of Wang Lung's main conflicts in Chapter 30?

4. How is Lotus's arrival at Wang Lung's home described in Chapter 20? Who is present for her arrival?

5. What does Wang Lung do in preparation for Lotus's arrival at his home in Chapter 20? How is his behavior affected?

6. Who looks after the arrangement of Wang Lung's second son's marriage in Chapter 29? How are the arrangements described?

7. Whom does Lotus suggest to Wang Lung for an arranged marriage for his son in Chapter 23?

8. How does Wang Lung respond when he discovers his eldest son in Lotus's court in Chapter 24?

9. What leads Wang Lung to send his eldest sons away to school in Chapter 17?

10. How have Wang Lung's business, circumstances, and fate changed in the beginning of Chapter 17?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Wang Lung’s father in the novel. What role does Wang Lung’s father play in Wang Lung’s actions, objectives, and choices in the narrative? How would you describe Wang Lung’s relationship with his father? How many siblings does Wang Lung have?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author’s use of imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing in The Good Earth. How well do you think the author creates a “vision” of its setting? What are examples of similes, metaphors, and onomatopoeia used in the narrative? How does the author employ foreshadowing to develop tension in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the setting of Wang Lung’s homestead in the novel. How does this setting evolve and change in the course of the narrative? What does Wang Lung’s land represent for him symbolically?

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