In "The Good Earth": When famine strikes, how does modern technology from the west save Wang & his family?

Question

or what things happen to cause Wang Lung to see Lotus Flower differently?

please help me im having troubles

Answer 1

I just read this book for my summer reading! The technology was the train. The train transported him and his family to the south into the city. Although the conditions weren't that great and Wang longed to go back to his land, the family was able to have food everyday and a place to sleep.

Answer 2

Look, you're going to have to *read the book carefully* (it's a fun read; I think it's much more enjoyable than _Sons_ and _A House Divided_, in the same trilogy. You're on your own for the reading and for doing the basic homework, sorry.

But here's a couple of leading questions, to help you focus a bit, when you're looking through it.

Wang Lung's family is slowly starving, they've sold everything in their house down to the very beds, and they've already killed off the one ox they owned. SERIOUSLY bad straits they're in....they're land rich, and that's it. They've got to head out to areas that aren't hit by the drought (and accompanying famine), they've got the old father, a couple of young kids, plus "the little fool"....it's not going to be easy to get from point A to B. You're talking anywhere from 50-200 miles, in our measurements. Check about 1/3 of the way into the book for the story of their travel, and remember that the story occurs well before the Boxer Rebellion.
(Does your book have any historical notes or commentary concerning the setting of _The Good Earth_? Read this for hints.)

Concerning Lotus Flower: She's a hottie, in the best teahouse in town. (She's basically a high-priced prostitute.) Totally gorgeous, as far as Wang Lung is concerned, especially when he's comparing her with his legal wife, O-Lan. (Remember, O-Lan had been sold by her parents to be a slave to a Great House and has low status; her feet weren't bound, so YUCCCH!; not pretty, but she sure could work hard, coming to the fields a couple hours after bearing her second son. What a gal!)
Wang Lung manages to get Lotus Flower to leave the teahouse and be his "second woman"---basically, she's his concubine, the equivalent of an in-house mistress. See the book for O-Lan's reaction to this......ooooohhhhwheee! But Lotus Flower manages to pull off a _really_ dumb move.....
This "dumb move" changes a lot of things within the family, and makes Wang Lung a little less easily led by his.....uuh....passions. That's the best kind of focusing I can give you. Once you see what Lotus Flower pulled, and realize how it affected other people (and the story line), you'll understand the rest of the book better.

Good luck!

Answer 3

( The Good Earth ) written by bearl S buck and she make the destination of Wang.I think she is American.She only who could save Wang and his family. unfortunately she died in March, 1973

Answer 4

It doesn't? he just lucks out.