Wang Lung is the protagonist of ''

The Good Earth ''The Good Earth'' is a historical fiction novel by Pearl S. Buck published in 1931 that dramatizes family life in a Chinese village in the early 20th century. It is the first book in her ''House of Earth'' trilogy, continued in ''Sons'' (1932) ...

'', a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by

Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for ''The Good Earth'' a bestselling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel, Pulitze ...

and the first volume of her ''House of Earth'' trilogy.

Character biography

Lung begins life as a poor farmer and marries

O-Lan O-Lan is a fictional character in Pearl S. Buck's 1931 novel '' The Good Earth''. For her portrayal of the character in the 1937 film adaptation, Luise Rainer won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Character biography She is a slave of the H ...

, a slave owned by the Hwang family. Wang Lung maintains a fierce attachment to the land. However, he is also extremely ambitious and envies the material success of the wealthy Hwangs. He is increasingly drawn to the Hwangs’ decadent lifestyle, and in the end, after his encounters with modern values portrayed through his time in the city, his experiences with his uncle and his cousin, and at one point his morally corrupt actions in the city, his piety and love of the land is only partially successful in helping him maintain his good character and moral standing.Sparknotes: Wang Lung
/ref> His excessive pride is his tragic flaw, as his actions often reflect on his position among others in his society and his position compared to the Hwang family. He has a total of six children, three sons and three daughters, but the second daughter, born during a severe

famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war, natural disasters, crop failure, population imbalance, widespread poverty, an economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompani ...

, is strangled by O-Lan shortly after birth. The older surviving daughter, who comes to be known as the "poor fool," exhibits severe mental disabilities and is unable to care for herself throughout her life. Wang Lung arranges a marriage for the youngest daughter to the son of a prosperous

grain merchant The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

, in order to keep her safe from his uncle's lustful son. The sons, who come to be known as "The Landlord," "The Merchant," and "The Tiger" (oldest to youngest), are the focus of ''

Sons A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current ...

'', the second book in the trilogy. '' A House Divided'' completes the family tale by following Wang Lung's grandchildren, primarily the Tiger's son Wang Yuan.

References

Literary characters introduced in 1931 Characters in American novels of the 20th century Fictional Chinese people in literature Fictional farmers Fictional characters from Anhui {{novel-char-stub