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The Good Earth: Earth's Providance For Man

The Good Earth

In her novel The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck develops a theme that although money can bring a person materialistic wealth, the earth is always the ultimate provider. This piece of literature commences as the main character Wang Lung diligently works in the fields, from dawn to dusk, day after day. Wang is nothing more than a simple man; he is neither well educated nor rich. However, he is driven and passionate about everything he does. Wang knew that by thoroughly working in the fields, good things were bound to come. The earth provides to Wang all the wealth he has, the land, food, shelter and even the desire to succeed. However, as the novel develops the idea of respecting the earth alters following the opening chapters.

Early off in the narrative signs of this theme emerge as Wang begins to understand that the more he works in the fields, the richer and more successful he would become. Approaching chapter eight, the tables turn as a famine engulfs the land of Anwhei. Each of the small, poor farmers starves as they impatiently wait for the heavens to open up and irrigate their land. However, since this process takes longer than expected many people starve, some even rely on eating human flesh to survive. This whole segment of the novel proves that all people are at mercy to the earth. Without the earth’s cooperation, everyone that is imprisoned in the drought definitely needs to struggle to survive. On page 68 Wang and Olan speak showing how powerful the land is. Olan starts by saying, “If the children must drink and the old man have his hot water the plants must go dry.” Wang angrily answers in respect to the land saying, “Well, and they must all starve if the plants starve”. This quote shows how important the land is to Wang and how much he personally relies upon his land. Eventually however, the drought becomes overwhelming, and Wang makes a critical decision to move south to the land of Kiangsu. The south was fortunate enough to avoid the...