The Wang Family In The Good Earth

At the beginning of The Good Earth the Wang family lived in a small house in China on their family’s ancestral land. The earth was vital to the Wangs, as they used it, not only to grow crops, but also to build their house, construct an oven, and make water pots, as well as other items. During the 1890s and 1930s, the Wang family experienced famines which forced them to move to the South. When the family returned, they became very prosperous. Being wealthy, they were able to own more land and move into the Great House of Hwang. Along with their abundance of land and moving into the “great house,” Wang Lung’s children grew up in an environment very different from what their father had experienced in his childhood. This difference led to some unfortunate changes. In The

In ancient Chinese history males were expected to wear their hair in long braids called a guelle for religious purposes. In The Good Earth, Wang’s sons cut off their guelles, which, in a sense, they lost their connection to god. The process of marriage was different from the process today. When Wang and O-lan got married, they had to go and ask the Earth gods for their blessing. Going to the Earth Gods was the final step in the marriage process. Without this step the marriage was incomplete. Also Lung would go to the gods and pray to them whenever he could. Neither of Wang’s sons asked for their blessing or praised to them. The tradition of filial piety is abandoned by the sons of Wang Lung. For those who do not know what filial piety is, the dictionary states, “a virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors.” Growing up Lung took care of his elderly father. He gave the man tea every morning. He would help him out of bed and prepare his meals. But when Lung grew older, his sons paid for servants to take care of him. They thought since they were prosperous they could just pay people to do their