The Good Earth is the story of Wang Lung, a young Chinese farmer, who grows as a person from his life as a poor young adult to a wealthy old man.

When Wang Lung comes of age, Wang Lung’s Father goes to the House of Hwang to request one of the slaves to marry his son. They agree and Wang Lung goes to the House of Wang and takes O-lan, a twenty-year-old slave, for his wife. They are pleased with another, and Wang Lung is happy, save that he would rather her feet be bound. O-lan cleans the house and helps to take care of Wang Lung’s father. She also assists Wang Lung with field work, and they have an abundant crop. O-lan becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son. She then makes new clothing for the small family with the extra money from the harvest. O-lan sets off with her son in hand to visit old lady Hwang. From O-lan’s visit, she witnesses the apparent downfall of the House of Hwang. This encourages Wang Lung to buy some of the family’s notoriously fertile land. Another good yield results in the following year, and another son is born. Wang Lung’s evil uncle takes notice of Wang Lung’s recent success and decides to exploit it by asking repeatedly for money. Wang Lung cannot refuse because of the nature of filial piety. Still, he continues to buy more of the Hwang land.

Rains do not come to the land for a long period of time and drought and famine ravage the countryside. Wang Lung and his family, including a new baby girl, attempt to survive, but end up having to eat their Ox. Wang Lung’s uncle eventually spreads lies that his nephew is hording food and silver, and his home is ransacked by the populace of the village. To their dismay, they find nothing. In this period, O-lan gives birth to yet another girl but kills her because it is a famine year and no food is left to nourish her.

The family decides to pick up and move to the south in search of food. After they arrive in the city, O-lan and the city take to begging while Wang Lung takes his hand a hand-cart transportation via rickshaw. The family works together to make enough money to get home, but things move slowly. They reap the seeds of the coming revolution when a group of rioters overrun a great house in the city. Wang Lung confronts a rich man and gains gold, while O-lan retrieves a hugely valuable collection of hidden jewels.

With the gold and jewelry, the family is able to return home. They buy all new supplies for the farm and Wang Lung uses O-lan’s jewels save two pearls she keeps to buy three-hundred acres of the Hwang land. During the year, twins are born to Wang Lung, providing them with their third son and daughter. It is also apparent now that their oldest daughter is mentally deficient. Still, Wang Lung has a place in his heart for her.

Wang Lung begins the farming season by hiring workers to plant and harvest. Harvests are good for several seasons, and he becomes increasingly wealthy. During the flood season, he becomes bored at home and takes to insulting O-lan’s appearance. He spends increasing amounts of time at the tea-house with a prostitute named Lotus. Wang Lung purchases Lotus eventually as his concubine. Cuckoo who previously worked at the House of Hwang, comes along as her servant. She and O-lan are at odds. Wang-Lung’s youngest daughter is sent to her betrothed’s home in hopes that it will keep her safe from Wang Lung’s Uncle’s son.

Wang Lung coldly takes O-lan’s two pearls to make earrings for Lotus, which devastates her. She becomes very sick. Only then does he realize how O-lan’s hard work has led him to success. Wang Lung turns his uncle and his uncle’s wife into opium addicts, providing unlimited opium in order to turn them into docile and non-threatening people. The oldest son suggests to Wang Lung that they move into the House of Hwang. This strikes deeply with Wang Lung’s desire for riches and status. O-lan dies.

The family moves into the Hwang household. His sons become somewhat quarrelsome as do their wives over money and other meaningless things. Wang Lung finds pleasure with young slave Pear Blossom. They look after one another. Wang Lung has many, many grandchildren, but he is somewhat estranged from his family. He visits the farm as he wishes to die with his land. Near the end of story, he hears his sons speak of selling the land after his death. Though he is frightened at the though and makes them promise they will not sell the land, it is obvious they will sell it anyway.

 

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