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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 washes O-lan's body for burial after her death?

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

3. For how long does Wang Lung refrain from going into town due to his anger after his uncle has moved onto his land in Chapter 20?

4. The narrator says in Chapter 23, "When there was a thing to be done, Cuckoo smelled the money in it as a rat smells" what?

5. What are Wang Lung's uncle and aunt compared to in Chapter 30?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. How does Wang Lung respond when O-lan warns him of his eldest son visiting Lotus in Chapter 24?

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

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

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

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

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 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 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 character of the “poor fool” in The Good Earth. What has caused this character’s mental disabilities? How does Wang Lung feel about this character and what is their relationship like? How is this character perceived by O-lan?

(see the answer keys)

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