Character List

Here is the list of the Main Characters in "The Good Earth" with a brief description of each. 

Wang Lung: Wang Lung is the main character in The Good Earth. He is a respectful, kind, and hardworking farmer. He married a slave from the wealthy Hwang family named O-lan, and they had six kids together. Wang Lung has a strong connection with the land he farms on, partly because he is successful later on. The richer Wang Lung gets, his lifestyle resembles the once-great Hwang's lavish lifestyle. However, his character has not changed for the worse with his money, and he is still respectable in the village. 

Wang Lung's Father: Wang Lung's father was a supportive and joyful man. He was very customary to Chinese culture and advised Wang Lung about many aspects of life and farming. 

O-Lan: O-lan was a slave in the Hwang Family that Wang Lung married. O-lan is loyal, obedient, trustworthy, and a loving mother to three sons and three daughters (one was killed after she was born). She is a hard worker that has worked by Wang Lung's side and built up their farming empire. However, she did not fit in with beauty standards at the time without bound feet and Wang Lung wished for someone with bound feet. She still loved Wang Lung even though he had other romantic interests later on in the book.

Ching: Ching is Wang Lung's responsible and kind-hearted neighbor and later became Wang Lung's hard-working laborer.  
Lotus: Lotus is Wang Lung's mistress and she appears in Chapter 19 when Wang Lung visits a tea shop. Lotus was a pale, thin, and beautiful woman with bound feet and Wang Lung fell in love with her appearance. She then became Wang Lung's mistress and he brought her to live in his house. Contrasting her looks she had a short temper and an attitude. 

Wang Lung's Uncle: Wang Lung's uncle is a lazy, cunning, and manipulative character that takes advantage of Wang Lung throughout the book. He comes and goes showing up at Wang Lung's house pulling the I am your elder card so Wang Lung has to respect him. He was also involved with a band of bandits so he was an aggressive and greedy person. 

The Uncle's Son: The Uncle's son was lazy and disrespectful like his dad was. He was a bad influence on Wang Lung's oldest son and introduced him to prostitutes and alcohol.

Wang Lung's First Son: The first son was loved a lot by Wang Lung and he took him to the farms often. However, he grows up to be spoiled and wants a wealthy lifestyle and status. 

Wang Lung’s Second Son: The second son was more responsible than the first and better at managing his spending than his brothers. He was crafty but was against his father's traditional views and values. 

Wang Lung’s Third Son: The third son was more introverted than his brothers and he wanted to go study at a university and become a scholar. Later he gets upset with Wang Lung because he could not be with Pear Blossom so he joins the army and becomes a soldier. He was also twin toWang Lung's second daughter.

Wang Lung’s First Daughter: The first daughter was mentally challenged and called "the poor fool" because of her malnourishment from the famine. Wang Lung formed a strong connection with her and wonders what will happen to her if he dies. 

Wang Lung’s Second Daughter: The second daughter was the third son's twin. She was the prettiest daughter and O-lan bound her feet. She was promised to marry Lui's son.

The Old Master & The Old Mistress: The Old Master and The Old Mistress were well respected at the beginning of the book by Wang Lung because of his wealth and success. They were the head of the great Hwang House, but their wealth declined quickly because of bad spending habits.

Cuckoo: Cuckoo was one of the prettier slaves in the Hwang family and then worked for Wang Lung after she moved in with Lotus. She was rude and picked on O-lan because they rivaled each other. 

Pear Blossom: A slave sold to Wang Lung during a famine and she was into old men. She served under Lotus and Wang Lung's third son liked her. 

Lui: A grain merchant in the village and her son and daughter were/going to be married to Wang Lung's children.