Greed In The Good Earth

For nine years, the people of Chiang Lo County lived in terror of the monstrous Yung serpent whose appetite was only fulfilled by human flesh. (331) Each year county officials would choose a young maiden to be sacrificed, bind her and take her to the mountainside where they had built a temple near the opening of the serpent’s cave and watched as the serpent fed off of the young maiden. In the tenth year Chi Li was determined to volunteer. Living in a patriarchal society she felt that she had no self-worth and her life was

Gene Luen Yang uses Bao’s justification of killing masses of innocent people and burning down a library full of Chinese history to question the extent that one is willing to put

The Good Earth is set in pre-revolutionary China in the early 1900s, and is centered around one character named Wang Lung who cares for his family and land. During this time period, women were usually discerned as inferior while the elders were held with the utmost respect. Those did not exercise filial piety were considered outcasts. The people of that time worshipped gods that rewarded certain actions that glorified the earth. They also believed that the gods would reward a good person, and punish, or curse a bad one. Throughout the story, Wang Lung goes from a poor, simple farmer to a wealthy landowner. It is evident that the main character’s financial status is a result of a strong work ethic as well as honesty. In The Good Earth hard work and virtue are rewarded, while idleness and vice are not.

How would you feel standing in the remnants of the height of someone else’s life? Being able to view anyone’s accomplishments and failures holistically sits uneasily with many people because it brings a sweeping feeling of nostalgia. It is a feeling that everyone can resonate with, although few have truly experienced. The poem “Jade Flower Palace” by Tu Fu perfectly captures this unwanted feeling. Through Tu Fu’s use of diction, “Jade Flower Palace” conveys the somber idea that no matter how extravagant someone’s life may be, the memories fade where the legacy lingers.

Character development is the most crucial element of a story, as it urges the reader to analyse the motives or the emotions that character may convey, therefore making the story immensely impactful. Wayson Choy effortlessly and deftly develops the character of Sek-Lung in his renowned short story, “The Jade Peony.” Sek-Lung, who is also the narrator in this story, is six years old and he’s struggling dreadfully to cope with his grandma’s upcoming death. The protagonist’s affectionate yet sorrowful feelings during this emotional crisis are clearly delivered, “Her palm felt plush and warm...I could not imagine how she could ever part from me. Ever,” (Choy 120). Upon reading that sentence, the reader understands how appalled Sek-Lung is to discover

It is a custom in the Chinese culture for some families to hang a wind chime in honor of their loved ones on the day that they pass. This is what the fictional character, Sek-Lung’s, father did in the short story, “The Jade Peony” written by Wayson Choy. Choy, being born a Canadian of Chinese descent, highlighted the struggle of living in between two drastically different, and distinguished cultures through Sek-Lung. The seven year old boy narrates his everyday adventures with his Grandmama. She has experienced it all and wishes to pass on her stories and traditions to the next generation. In her last months she occupied herself with caring for her grandson by making and collecting supplies to craft their beloved windchimes, specifically her

In the poem “A Story” by Li- Young Lee, the audience is introduced to the intricate relationship between the father and the son. There is an obvious internal conflict ongoing within the father’s thoughts; the father desperately wants to tell his son a story but cannot come up with one. The author highlights the altering views held by the father and the son through the use of shifting points of view and the intended structure. These two devices adeptly establish the poem’s profundity and intensity of emotions; moreover, it brings light to a common battle that evolving filial relations face against time; as innocence eventuates into maturity, parents inevitably feel helpless and nostalgic.

Death will touch each individual over the course of their lives. Whether it is a family member, friend, or stranger, most will face the idea of death before their time comes. In the case of Sek-Lung, a youthful character who has recently moved with his family, it was his grandmother. As he recalls the event, the audience receives insight into how each human perceives death differently, and the ways in which they live according to this. The nature of life and death is observed in “The Jade Peony” by Wayson Choy, using eloquent expressions of the way in which one can come to understand death, the acceptance of it, and the meaning that can be held once someone has passed away.

''Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction'' is a quote by Eric Fromm that can describe the character of Mathilde Loisel in ''The Necklace'' by Guy de Maupassant that focus on an unhappy woman who feels she is far above her simple lifestyle and wish for a more luxurious life, while the grandmother in ''A Good Man is Hard To Find'' by O'Connor Flannery, which focus on an old southern woman who look down upon everyone because of her past importance. Both story writing in a different place and time, however, both characters have the same struggle regarding greed and pride which lead to they downfall. The authors emphasis greatly on class, appearance and greed.

There 's a subtle wonderfulness to this story. It 's such a relatable story that involves day to day recounts of activities, Kimberly and her mother 's struggles and strives, financially and culturally. Especially from Aunt Paula. Once she said: “You can release your heart, older sister” (148). And another conversation is that “I am too smart to cheat….It is under me” (157).Even though Kim’s mother suffered loneliness ..she is such a bold character to suffer and sacrifice though she got hardships and rejection from Aunt Paula. . “You may need to change your dreams. My little heart, listen. But sometimes our fate is different from the one we imagined for ourselves. (56)”Once Ma told to Kim. Jean Kwok talk about Girl in Translation and earned a new found respect for her work. Kwok

To what extent does food as a motif represent structure and bonds among characters in the novel?

At first he didn’t want O-lan to work in the fields while pregnant and also felt the tension when his wife was in labor. But as time went by he did not care much for O-Lan and would not even take his time to ask if the baby was a boy or a girl. For him it felt like a normal everyday life event, his dedication for his wife and kids changed. Wang’s connection to religion also changed according to how his life was like. When his connection to earth was strong he showed faith in the Earth God. But when his fortune declined and passed through tough times he showed bitterness and not much faith in the Gods.

In chapter two of Money, Greed, and God, Jay W. Richards says that the federal government doesn 't appropriately distribute welfare to those who need it. In addition, Richards says that the government should simply stay out of matters this small because they could be better handled by smaller more locally run organizations. In essence, the federal government is “too big” to know how to help the needy. I completely disagree with this assertion. Although the federal government is big and oblivious to who exactly needs what, it is still a necessary part of the welfare distribution system because of the money it has and all the power needed to deliver said funds. Giving the money to the smaller organizations, especially Christian ones like churches,

In both books Bound by Donna Jo Napoli and A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park the main characters Salva and Xing Xing have doubts about father figures in their lives. In Salva’s circumstance, his Uncle, halfway through their journey, tells Salva that he will not stay with him. Salva realizes he will no longer have any biological family with him anymore. He feels betrayed and is lonely for a while after his Uncle’s decision. Shortly thereafter, Uncle is brutally shot and murdered leaving him is alone again. Similar to Salva’s case, Xing Xing finds a father figure in a ‘doctor’ who he asks her to call him ‘Yao Wang’. A while after he is cruel to her and portrays his real attitude towards her as mischievous and greedy and is abandoned by him

Buck’s The Good Earth is frequent prayer to the gods. Throughout the novel, Wang Lung pays respect to the Earth god; he does so in times of both hardship and prosperity. His frequent prayer, along with many of the other traditions he practices, are synonymous with Taoism. The central purpose of Taoism is to “enable people to realize that… the only human actions which ultimately make sense are those which are in accord with the flow of Nature — the Dao” (Bloom 1). Like Wang Lung, followers of Taoism stress the importance of being one with nature, and being connected to the land. Adherence to Taoism also comes with a life of simplicity, as Taoism denounces living a life of excess. Taoists believe that “such desires are bound to cause injury both to oneself and to others” (Bloom 1). One of the most identifiable practices of Taoism is the ritualistic burning of incense. Taoists will burn incense as a means of communication with deities, but also to pay respect to the gods (Taoist Federation 1). Followers of Taoism believe that they will achieve prosperity and happiness through frequent prayer, connection to the Earth, and