The Good Earth

This relationship is shown by following Wang Lung from when he was poor to when he became rich. The thoughts that are in his mind and how he is treated both when rich and poor are very contrasting.
             Wang Lung was a man of his land. Early on in the novel Wang Lung virtually does not have anything at all. The only possession of any value that he has is his land. He felt that land is the only important belonging and having land is the only way to get ahead in life. No matter how bad the year was or how poor they became or whoever decided to ransack his home and steal everything, his land could never be taken away. During the drought the family had to move to the south city. When they returned to the home, the house was pillaged and all the belongings were stolen from the home. But the land was still there. When the great floods occurred and the river overtook everything, the water would recede and there would be the land. And along with land came notoriety and prestige. There more prestige the more money. The more money, the more land. And the circle continued until the land brought the House of Wang to prominence, power and richness. Although Wang Lung eventually moved away from the land he put a very trusted acquaintance and neighbor, Ching, in charge of the land. When death was approaching Wang Lung he returned to the earth home on the land to die. While there he over heard his sons talking of selling the land, Wang Lung replies, "No - no - we will never sell the land - It is the end of the family - when the begin to sell the land. Out of the land we came and into it we must go - and if you will hold your land you can live - no one can rob you of your land. If you sell the land, it is the end." (p. 360) To Wang Lung the land is everything. Life, death, wealth and sorrow all come from the earth. The earth is life.
             The next theme that Buck uses to show how the Chinese interacted was by showing the relationship of Wang Lung and the females in his life.