Name: ______
The Good Earth
Chapter 1
1. Describe the setting of the novel.
2. What does Wang buy for the wedding feast?
3. What type of bride does Wang want?
4. What type of bride does Wang Lung’s father want for Wang Lung?
5. What does Wang Lung’s father take to the bride?
6. What happens when Wang Lung first goes to the House of Hwang?
7. Explain the wedding ceremony.
8. Describe Wang’s first impression of Olan.
9. Who came to the wedding feast?
10. What did the guests (and Wang Lung) think about the meal they were served? Does Wang praise Olan? Why?
11. Where was Olan during the meal? Why?
12. What experiences does Wang have that indicate the changes about to take places in China?
13. Name the main characters of the novel so far.
14. What is/are the controlling force(s) in Wang’s life? Why?
Chapter 2
1. What are the duties of Olan as the wife of Wang?
2. What is Olan’s attitude toward Wang and her duties?
3. What is Wang’s reaction when he discovers Olan is carrying his child?
4. What is the significance of the birth of a child?
Chapter 3
1. What does Wang say to Olan that upsets her? Why does it.
2. Describe Olan’s identity. What dreams does she have for the child and herself?
3. How does Wang explain the value of his silver? Why is this explanation important?
4. How does Wang reward Olan after the birth of their child?
Ch 4
1. This chapter demonstrates extreme contrasts in people and their values. Cite some of these contrasts.
2. Pearl Buck introduces the Chinese custom of winter visiting and hospitality. Why does Wang not do much of this?
3. What does Wang do with his extra silver? Why?
Ch 5
1. How does Olan recognize that the Great House is not prospering?
2. In what ways is Wang superstitious?
3. Why does Wang want Hwang's land.?
Ch 6
1. With what important decision is Wang Lung faced?
2. How does the author present O-lan as a tremendously strong woman.
Chapter 8
1. How is poverty brought out in this chapter? Analyze the effects of the drought
2. Why do the villagers invade Wang’s house?
3. How does the author excuse the behavior of the villagers?
4. How does the earth play major role in the lives of Wang and the people around him? Analyze Wang’s thought: “They can not take the land from me.”
5. Analyze the Old Lord and the Old Mistress (the Ancient One) of the House of Hwang. Note the causes and effects of their problems.
Chapter 9
1. Give examples of the ways in which the people deal with starvation.
2. How is Wang’s uncle presented as the personification of evil
3. How does 0-lan support Wang Lung? 4 TL -ft I f n—cT
Chapter 10
1.What do they take with them when they go South
2. How is their ignorance evident?
Chapter 11
1. How does 0-lan use her talents?
2. Why does Wang rent a ricksha?
3. What does the younger son do with his begged money?
Chapter 12
1. Wang learn about the city?
2. What bothers Wang about the city?
3. What happens to the stolen pork?
Chapter 13
1. Contrast the lifestyles of the rich and the poor.
2. Why does 0-lan suggest they sell their daughter?
3. Why was selling the girl not the answer?
Chapter 14
1. There is much unrest in the city; men speak in the street and hand out leaflets. How does Wang react to this?
2. Explain the two leaflets Wang receives.
3. Why doesn’t Wang leave his hut during the day?
4. What did the soldiers want? l
5. How does Wang earn money?
6. Why does Wang join the crowd that invades the rich man’s house?
Chapter 15
1. When Wang returns to his home, what does he find?
2. What is Wang’s reaction being home? .
Chapter 16
1. How did 0-lan get the jewels?
2. What is done with the jewels?
3. How does Wang find the Old Lord?
4. Who is Cuckoo?
5. Not caring for the land led to the fall of the House of Hwang. How does Wang plan to avoid such a misfortune?
6. What happened to House of Hwang?
7. How much land was for sale?
8. How is the sale transacted?
Chapter 17
1. How prosperous is Wang Lung? Explain.
2. In what way does Wang leave the thing he loves the most-- the land?
3. What happens as a result of this?
4. What reminds Wang of his early difficulties and the source of his wealth?
Chapter 18
1. How was Wang saved from the flood?
2. How has his attitude changed toward 0-lan?
3. Where does Wang go?
Chapter 19
1. What changes is noticed in Wang once ie meets Lotus?
2. What does he demand of Olan? Why
3.Cite some of he things Wang has forgotten about O-lah?
4. How does 0-lan accept her husband’s unfaithfulness?
5. In what ways was 0-lan prepared for this role?
Chapter 20
1. How does Wang’s uncle take advantage of him?
2. Why does the uncle’s wife agree to help Wang bring Lotus to his house?
3. What was the agreement?
4. What does Lotus request?
Chapter 21
1. What difficulties soon arise in Wang’s household?
2 How does Wang resolve the problem?
3.How does the solution affect Wang?
4. How does Wang justify the behavior?
5. How does Lotus anger Wang?
6. How has Wang changed at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 22
1. What type of wife does Wang want for his eldest son?
2. Why does Wang say that they can marry the eldest son early?
3. Contrast Wang and his eldest son when they both are 17.
4. What was 0-lan’s solution to their eldest son’s restlessness?
5. Comment on the younger boy’s actions.
Chapter 23
1. What difficulties does Wang encounter in this chapter?
2. Are these problems solved? Explain.
3. How has Wang imitated the old lord?
Chapter 24
1. Why does the eldest son wish to go south?
2. Why does Wang refuse?
3. Why does Wang change his mind?
4. How is Wang Ignorant of 0-lan’s problem?
Chapter 25
1. How does Wang provide for his children?
2. When does Wang realize how will O-lan is?
3. Has O-lan’s character changed? Explain.
Chapter 26
1 In what ways is the story of O-lan’s death the story of her life?
2. Why does 0-lan send for Cuckoo?
3. Why does this scene with Cuckoo explain 0-lan’s silence even in the face of great difficulty?
4. Why is the death scene pathetic?
5. What two requests does 0-lan make before her death?
6. What does Wang’s buying of the coffin reveal about him?
7. Why does Wang go to the geomancer (what is a “geomancer”?)
Chapter 27
1. Why was Wang unconcerned about the floods?
2. In what way has Wang’s riches made him courageous
3. What caused the eldest son to become angry?
4. What plans does the eldest son suggest to get rid of 4 uncle?
5. In what way does this chapter bring out Wang’s love for his children?
Chapter 28
1. How is Wang shrewd with his money?
2. Why does Wang decide to have the House of Hwang
3. Characterize the eldest son.
4. Characterize the Younger son
5. Characterize the twin (boy).
Chapter 29
1. Describe the move to the great house.
2. Who remained in the country?
3. What superstition is described?
4. What happened when Ching died?
5. What does Wang do with his land?
6. How does the birth of Wang’s grandson remind him of 0-Ian?
7. What do we learn of the Chinese practice of ancestor worship?
8. What happened to the uncle’s son?
Chapter 30
1. How does the elder son use his father?
2. How did the poor people react to the complete takeover of the house of Hwang by
Wang’s family?
3. How does Wang become aware of the elder son’s spending?
4. How does the youngest son (twin) disappoint Wang?
5. Explain the two types of greed - elder son vs. younger son.
6. With what does Wang find pleasure?
7. What happened to Wang’s uncle and his wife?
Chapter 31
1. How is the second son’s cunning demonstrated?
2. Describe the eldest son’s weakness.
3. How are we reminded of Wang’s kindness?
Chapter 32
1. What did Wang do when the soldiers left?
2. What problems now faced Wang?
3. Describe the scene with the younger son.
4. Why doesn’t Wang understand his son?
5. What is the situation with Lotus?
Chapter 33
1. What does Wang do as a result of his loneliness?
2. Why did this happen?
3. How was the affair discovered?
4. What does Wang realize about himself, eldest son, younger son, and youngest
son?
Chapter 34
1. What request does Wang make before he dies
2. What does Wang do with his time?
3. How does this chapter complete the cycle of life?