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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. Who is in charge of arranging the marriage for Wang Lung's second-eldest son?

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. What does Wang Lung tell O-lan he would do if only it would heal her in Chapter 26?

4. Whom does Wang Lung describe as "the keeper of" Lotus in Chapter 20?

5. Who accompanies Wang Lung's uncle when he moves into Wang Lung's home in Chapter 20?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How is O-lan's behavior as she lays dying described in Chapter 26?

3. How does Wang Lung perceive his family and children in Chapter 17?

4. What does Wang Lung's young cousin do that causes conflict in Wang Lung's house in Chapter 31?

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

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

7. What is significant about Wang Lung's uncle's revelation that he is associated with the redbeards in Chapter 23?

8. What does Wang Lung do in order to gain control over his uncle and his family in Chapter 28?

9. What causes the flooding in Chapter 27? How does the flooding impact Wang Lung's village?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

Discuss the theme of inequality in The Good Earth. What setting reflects this theme the most? How? What do you think is the cause of the inequality seen in the novel? Has inequality been resolved in China? In what ways?

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