The Earth And O-Lan In Pearl Buck's Into The Wild

In the early 20th century in Anhwei, China, a slave endlessly works. She lives in a great house where she is physically and mentally abused. Although she works in the kitchen constantly, she receives neither recognition nor thanks. However, the young slave, O-lan, sees hope when a man seeks to wed her. In her new home, she works hard and is productive to support her new family. Her husband, who has always relied upon the land, begins to rely upon her equally. Together, the earth and O-lan lead the Wang family to its destiny. In the novel by Pearl Buck, O-lan symbolizes the earth. Because the earth and O-lan are extremely productive, they are essential to the prosperity of the Lung family. When the Lungs were stricken with homelessness, O-lan knew how to beg for money. This helped support her family through those harsh times in the

O-lan is rather uncomplicated, she’s not attractive, she doesn’t stand out in a crowd, and she’s not much of a talker. On the other hand, she gets by with the bare minimum. The people in her family dismiss her from their minds, and show her no appreciation. Nonetheless, she labors on all day and completes what needs to be done. The land is also very straightforward, there isn’t a lot someone can say about a big piece of dirt. But with just seeds, sunlight, and water it produces food that supports Lung family. Many people feel that their hard work goes unappreciated or unnoticed. These people work hard just to receive recognition, or for their own benefit. Those people would benefit from reading the novel The Good Earth. O-lan demonstrates the true meaning of hard work. No matter the circumstance, she was always laboring, expecting no recognition nor appreciation. This work assisted her very little; it was for the sake of her family. For people who are searching for what it truly means to be both selfless and diligent, read O-lan’s story and it shall be