The Good Earth Study Guide

Name/PD _____________________

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 Lungs Elder
Daughter
O-lan
Wang Lungs
Wang Lungs father
Younger Daughter
Wang Lungs uncle
Lotus Flower
The uncles wife
Cuckoo
The Uncles son
Pear Blossom
Wang Lungs eldest son
Ching
Wang Lungs second son
The Old Lord and the Old Mistress
Wang Lungs Daughters-in-law
Wang Lungs 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 Wangs culture and class held definite attitudes toward women. How are these
attitudes reflected in Wangs relationship to O-lan?
Chapter 3
5. What is Wangs chief concern at the time of his first childs birth?
Chapter 4
6. Even though he is delighted with his first son, why is Wang also fearful?
7. Wangs good luck continues, resulting in a good harvest, but how does he also make his
own good fortune?
Chapter 5
8. As Wangs 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 Wangs character deepen and develop as the story unfolds?
Chapter 7

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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 Wangs source of moral support?
Chapter 9
14. Why does Wang become less fearful of the gods?
15. What is surprising about Wangs 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 Wangs reaction to the city.
Chapter 12
19. Compare Wangs 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 Wangs life?
28. Earlier, Wang had condemned his sons thievery. How does he now justify the rich
mans gold?
Chapter 15
29. Why, after returning to the land, is Wang surly with his neighbors but compassionate to
Ching?
30. What are Wangs feelings about the gods?
Chapter 16
31. When Wang discovers Olans cache of jewels, why does he insist on using them to buy
more land?

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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 Wangs life?
Chapter 19
36. How does Wangs desire for Lotus change him?
37. Why is it significant that Wang cuts off his queue?
Chapter 20
38. How does Wangs 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 Wangs ardor for Lotus at last begin to wane?
Chapter 22
41. How does Wangs disenchantment with Lotus manifest itself?
42. Why does Wangs eldest son grow petulant and rebellious?
Chapter 23
43. What prevents Wang from throwing his uncles 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 Wangs 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-lans illness bring out in Wang?
49. What is O-lans 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 uncles family with opium?

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Chapter 28
53. Why does Wangs 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 Wangs attitude toward the common people changed?
Chapter 29
56. Compare the characteristics of Wangs two eldest sons.
57. Compare Wangs 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 Wangs view of the earth with that of his sons.
Chapter 31
60. How does war further disturb the tranquility of Wangs old age?
Chapter 32
61. In what ways does the youngest sons 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?

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