The Good Earth Study Guide

The Good Earth Study Guide

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In your notebook, write the answers to the following questions. Your notebook will be collected at the end of the reading. It would be helpful to put down the page numbers of the location that you wrote your answers from to aid you in your essay writing later. As you read, write a brief description of each of the following characters: • Wang Lung • Wang Lung’s Elder Daughter • O-lan • Wang Lung’s • Wang Lung’s father Younger Daughter • Wang Lung’s uncle • Lotus Flower • The uncle’s wife • Cuckoo • The Uncle’s son • Pear Blossom • Wang Lung’s eldest son • Ching • Wang Lung’s second son • The Old Lord and the Old Mistress • Wang Lung’s Daughters-in-law • Wang Lung’s third son Chapter 1 1. What kind of relationship to the earth does Wang Lung have as the story opens? 2. What are the marriage customs among the Chinese presents? 3. How is Wang Lung characterized? Chapter 2 4. People of Wang’s culture and class held definite attitudes toward women. How are these attitudes reflected in Wang’s relationship to O-lan? Chapter 3 5. What is Wang’s chief concern at the time of his first child’s birth? Chapter 4 6. Even though he is delighted with his first son, why is Wang also fearful? 7. Wang’s good luck continues, resulting in a good harvest, but how does he also make his own good fortune? Chapter 5 8. As Wang’s fortunes rise, what is happening to the House of Hwang? 9. How is the decline of the House of Hwang important to Wang? Chapter 6 10. How does Wang’s character deepen and develop as the story unfolds? Chapter 7

The Good Earth Study Guide.doc

Junior English, Linskens

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11. Compare the attitudes held by Wang and his uncle toward their respective circumstances in life. 12. What three occurrences does Wang regard as signs of a change in his own good fortune? Chapter 8 13. During the drought, what is Wang’s source of moral support? Chapter 9 14. Why does Wang become less fearful of the gods? 15. What is surprising about Wang’s relationship with his daughter? 16. Why does Wang not yield to the temptation to sell his land to the men from town in order to save his family? Chapter 10 17. How is modern technology an instrument of salvation fort Wang and his family in the midst of the famine? Chapter 11 18. Describe Wang’s reaction to the city. Chapter 12 19. Compare Wang’s behavior and feelings while in the city with those during his first visit to the House of Hwang. 20. What is ironic about the food markets of the city? 21. Why is Wang increasingly desperate to return to his land in the North? Chapter 13 22. How do the conditions of poverty in the city breed discontent among the young men? 23. Why is Wang not attracted by this talk of revolution? 24. Why is Wang tempted to sell his daughter? 25. Why does he resist this idea? Chapter 14 26. How is Wang different from the other poor people he lives among in the city? 27. How is the coming of war and revolution a turning point in Wang’s life? 28. Earlier, Wang had condemned his son’s thievery. How does he now justify the rich man’s gold? Chapter 15 29. Why, after returning to the land, is Wang surly with his neighbors but compassionate to Ching? 30. What are Wang’s feelings about the gods? Chapter 16 31. When Wang discovers O’lan’s cache of jewels, why does he insist on using them to buy more land?

The Good Earth Study Guide.doc

Junior English, Linskens

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32. Why has the House of Hwang suffered a reversal of fortunes? Chapter 17 33. Why does Wang want his sons to work in the fields even though he has workers to do such labor? 34. Why does Wang seem to contradict his earlier actions by sending his sons to school? Chapter 18 35. How does the flood signal a fundamental change in Wang’s life? Chapter 19 36. How does Wang’s desire for Lotus change him? 37. Why is it significant that Wang cuts off his queue? Chapter 20 38. How does Wang’s “sickness” over Lotus affect his relationship with O-lan? Chapter 21 39. What qualities are brought out in O-lan by the presence of Lotus and Cuckoo in her house? 40. Why does Wang’s ardor for Lotus at last begin to wane? Chapter 22 41. How does Wang’s disenchantment with Lotus manifest itself? 42. Why does Wang’s eldest son grow petulant and rebellious? Chapter 23 43. What prevents Wang from throwing his uncle’s family out of his house? Chapter 24 44. Why does Wang refuse to send his son to school in the southern city? 45. What changes Wang’s mind about sending his son to school? Chapter 25 46. How does Wang intend to avoid having similar problems with his second son? 47. Why does Wang give more thought to O-lan after so many years of neglect? Chapter 26 48. What qualities does O-lan’s illness bring out in Wang? 49. What is O-lan’s last wish? 50. How does O-lan assert her pride even when she is dying? 51. What final pang of remorse troubles Wang when he buries O-lan? Chapter 27 52. Why does Wang try to entice his uncle’s family with opium?

The Good Earth Study Guide.doc

Junior English, Linskens

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Chapter 28 53. Why does Wang’s eldest son wish to move to town? 54. Why is Wang himself attracted to the notion of living in the House of Hwang? 55. How has Wang’s attitude toward the common people changed? Chapter 29 56. Compare the characteristics of Wang’s two eldest sons. 57. Compare Wang’s tastes and concerns in his old age with those of his youth. Chapter 30 58. Why, even in his old age, does Wang lack peace in his household? 59. Contrast Wang’s view of the earth with that of his sons. Chapter 31 60. How does war further disturb the tranquility of Wang’s old age? Chapter 32 61. In what ways does the youngest son’s desire to become a soldier point out the difference between generations? Chapter 33 62. How does the slave girl Pear Blossom finally drive a wedge between Wang and his youngest son? Chapter 34 63. In the end, how important is the land to Wang?

The Good Earth Study Guide.doc

Junior English, Linskens

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