The Good Earth

I'm posting now because I'm leaving town for the next three weeks and want the book in front of me so I can check my notes.

First of all, I'm glad to have read The Good Earth. I always looked at it when in bookstores, but I never got around to buying it. However, I'm not sure I can say I liked the book. I found it fascinating, and probably an accurate description of turn-of-the-century China.

I did not like Wang Lung. I found him to be a very weak soul, always concerned about how important he appeared to others. There's a quote on my page 287, as Wang Lung's son is suggesting they buy the house of the Hwangs, "[Wang Lung] was moved by the words of his son when he said "the great house of the Hwangs." Wang (or is it Lung) is now ready for a new home based on how it will appear to others. Even his son knew that Wang Lung "cared mightily what people said of him." This weakness of character allows for a miserable life, I think. You're never happy with what you have or who you are because you're always trying to be who you want people to think you are.

I didn't like the worth (or lack there of) attributed to women in the book, although, it's an accurate depiction of the time and place. Another quote, "It is not meet for a man to love his wife with a foolish and overweening love, as though she were a harlot." OK, don't love your poor wife, but it's OK to love a harlot? And what was with the binding of the feet. What torture (it literally was torture). So, what, smaller feet were preferred by the men so parents would make their daughters' feet the object of desire? Yikes.

I did like the use of color, both in descriptions of the land and as symbols. Red, for luck (the red eggs, red sugar, jewels red as the inner flesh of watermelons); white, the color of mourning (interesting that in our culture, it's black). I found an interesting definition online of the Red Egg baby announcement: "One month after a child is born, hard-boiled eggs (symbolizing fertility) were dyed red (for good luck) and given to family, friends and relatives who had honored the child's birth. This was an invitation and announcement of the upcoming naming ceremony for the new addition to the family. During the party, the baby's name is given."

One last comment - there was a theme throughout the book that is SOOO true to human nature. The gods of the temple of the earth. When things were going poorly for Wang Lung, he wouldn't attend to these gods - no incense, no new clothing. He blamed his misfortune on them. Humans are just like that. I remember talking with people in France when I was on my mission, and we would ask them if they believed in God. Many times the answer was no, due to the fact that there was so much suffering in the world. Gods always gets the blame when lives are going poorly, and rarely get the credit when lives go well. When life is difficult is the most important time to remember and worship God.

This is a very "stream of conciouslness" review, so I hope it makes sense.

Thanks, Karen, for finally allowing me to read this book.