How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #1
Now father and son could rest. There was a woman coming to the house. Never again would Wang Lung have to rise summer and winter at dawn to light the fire. He could lie in his bed and wait, and he also would have a bowl of water brought to him, and if the earth were fruitful there would be tea leaves in the water. (1.8)
Did you know that the Chinese character for peace or tranquility (安) is a woman in a house? Women were in charge of creating a peaceful, efficient, and comfortable home for their families. In The Good Earth, the house certainly is certainly peaceful and tranquil for Wang Lung and his dad. Is it peaceful and tranquil for O-lan?
Quote #2
It would have been beneath him to notice her. Instead he feigned great interest in the clouds and he cried, “That cloud which hangs upon the left horn of the new moon speaks of rain. It will come not later than tomorrow night." (1.152)
This scene shows us the social hierarchy in the house. First there is Grandpa, second there is Wang Lung, and at the bottom there is O-lan. The gap between Grandpa and O-lan is so large that he has to pretend she doesn't even exist.
Quote #3
"The person in my house has told me," he said, "of your interest in my worthless oldest slave creature […] She should be married. She is fifteen years old and for these three or four years could have given birth. I am terrified constantly lest she conceive by some wild dog and bring shame to me and to our name." (7.15)
Whoa, we learn a ton about women's position in society from this quote. Just to be clear, Wang Lung's uncle is talking about his oldest daughter. He uses the words "worthless oldest slave creature," meaning that—you guessed it—women are worthless slaves. Then he says that she probably should have been married at age 11, which would imply that girls were considered women at that age. Last he worries about her virginity, which seems to mean that is the only thing making her kind of worthwhile. It will certainly fetch her a much higher price on the marriage market.