The Good Earth

On Monday, we will begin our first novel of the year, Pearl Buck's The Good Earth.

"In The Good Earth Pearl S. Buck paints an indelible portrait of China in the 1920s, when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-Lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during the last century.

Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life: its terrors, its passions, its ambitions and rewards. Her brilliant novel—beloved by millions of readers—is a universal tale of an ordinary family caught in the tide of history." (Amazon.com)

We will be reading the novel together in class and after each chapter there will be critical thinking questions to accompany the reading. There are several excellent resources available for students to review as we work through the book. 

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1900_earth.htm

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/goodearth/

In 1939 a movie was released about the book, if you can find it, it is worth watching.