Chapter Summaries and Analysis: Chapters 21-34

Chapter 21

Summary: In chapter 21, Wang Lung encounters issues with Cuckoo and O-lan living in the same house. They do not have a good history with each other because Cuckoo and O-lan used to be slaves in the Hwang house, and Cuckoo was a higher-level slave than O-lan, so there is been some drama. O-lan does not want to work for and listen to Cuckoo because she was at wife of the house first. O-lan also does not let Cuckoo use her kitchen because of this hatred. Wang Lung attempts to calm O-lan down, but he is unsuccessful, so he resorts to building a new separate kitchen for Cuckoo and Lotus. Cuckoo spends more money than O-lan and buys expensive foods with Wang Lung's money and over time, this will not end well. In the middle of the chapter, we can see that Lotus does not have a good relationship with Wang Lung's children and father. The most notable situation was when Lotus called his mentally challenged daughter an "idiot" and insulted his children. After this, he was mad at Lotus, and his love for her was not the same. At the end of the chapter, Wang Lung hears a voice inside him, "a voice cried out in him, a voice deeper than love cried out in him for his land," and this voice made him go back and work on his land (Buck 173).

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see that O-lan is standing up for herself because she is the first wife of the house. This is a big step for women in this book because, during the time, women normally did not stand up against one another and against their husbands. Their husbands told them what to do, and they had to obey. Even though Wang Lung wanted Lotus, Cuckoo, and O-lan to live together peacefully, O-lan did not allow that because she felt that it was not right, especially after all she did for Wang Lung. However, Wang Lung has changed a lot with all the money he has. He only listens to himself and only pleases himself and does not care what others and his wife thinks. 

Chapter 22

Summary: In chapter 22, we see that Wang Lung is back working on the farm, and he enjoys it there. He has not felt the "the moist soil on his feet" and the "earthy fragrance" in a while, and he missed it. Working on the earth has made him come to sense with his life and that he should be doing things for himself and only himself. He was able to lose his obsession with Lotus, and this made his life easier because she could not manipulate him anymore. He was happy to have two wives for his needs and also came to a sense where both of them could not slow him down. He needed Lotus only for his sexual desires and O-lan when he needed a hard worker and a mother. Towards the middle of the chapter, Buck shows that Wang Lung's eldest son is great at reading and writing, but he started skipping school and had a bad mood most of the time. O-lan said that the sons of the wealthy had been in the same mood when she was in the House of Hwang, and she said their solution was to give them a female slave to fulfill their desires. Wang Lung's son may seem spoiled, but he enjoyed it because he was proud to have a great son like that. He believed his son would be great and that he should find a wife for him because he did not want to buy him a slave. 

Analysis: We can see Wang Lung reconnecting with the earth and the land in this chapter and realizing that being obsessed with Lotus was no good for him. This shows that people can change no matter how desperate the situation is. The earth is what brought him to this wealth, and it is what will bring him back to his sense. Nature has great power and influence over a person, and it can change a person's mood and outlook on life. Sometimes people just need some time with nature, and they can heal. 

Chapter 23

Summary: In chapter 23, we can see that Lotus is getting annoyed that Wang Lung is not giving her as much attention as he used to. Wang Lung says that "a man cannot always think of the jewel he has sewn on his coat, but if it were lost, he could not bear it " to make her feel better (Buck 181). Wang Lung also needed to fix things for his son and find him a wife. He does not want his son to marry a normal village woman, so he goes looking for someone. He faces an issue because he does not have any connections with the rich families in town, so he cannot ask about their daughters. Lotus tells him about a woman with a daughter who came by the tea house she worked at often, and her name was Liu. Liu had a daughter that was about to be a marriageable age, and Liu was a gain merchant, so she was not the typical villager, which Wang Lung liked. However, when Wang Lung was not paying attention, Wang Lung's uncle took his son out to drink and was about to take him to a brothel. This angered Wang Lung because he wanted to find a wife for his son, and this would ruin his search. He threatened to kick his uncle out of the house and also his family, but he threatened  Wang Lung back with a red mask and cloth, which represented one of the bandit groups in the area. Filled with fear for this himself and his family, he let his uncle stay. Wang Lung is left in a terrible situation because his uncle will remain living with him, and if he tries anything, he will be harmed. The marriage arrangement also did not go well because Lui wanted to wait until her daughter was 17 years old for her to marry, so Wang Lung had to wait three more years. Adding to these terrible scenarios, a storm of locusts swarms the lands, and Wang Lung does his best to save his crops. However, the locusts weren't all bad for Wang Lung because"for seven days he thought of nothing but his land, and he was healed of his troubles and his fears" (Buck 192).

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see the similarities between Wang Lung and his oldest son. They both have similar character traits, and both have similar flaws related to getting wealthy. They both want nice things and prestige the richer they get. This chapter also shows how evil a family can be, even when they might not seem like it at first. Wang Lung's uncle threatened Wang Lung when he asked him to leave by hinting he was a member of the group of bandits. Family should protect each other and support each other and not strive to take each other down. 

Chapter 24

Summary: In chapter 24, Wang Lung's oldest son presents to him the idea of going to a university down south so he can be a scholar. He wanted to go out and learn more than what was in the "stupid small village" he was trapped in and wanted more freedom. As expected, Wang Lung refused to let him go South to study. Later O-lan tells Wang Lung that he sees their oldest son goes into the inner courts, Lotus's room, often when Wang Lung is away. Wang Lung did not believe O-lan at first, but he still wanted to make sure, so he spied on Lotus one day and caught his son with Lotus and beat him until he bled. After this event, he was filled with anger toward his son and let him go south to study because Wang Lung did not want to see him. 

Analysis: In Chinese culture, it is typical for parents to want their children to stay close to home and study close to home so they can be with them and protect their children. This is the case with Wang Lung and his oldest son, which was the smartest. When his son asked if he could study in the south, he rejected the decision at first, but after Wang Lung caught his son with Lotus, he was angered and in disbelief. Wang Lung beat his son and did not want to see him, so he sent him south to attend university.  

Chapter 25

Summary: With Wang Lung's eldest son gone, he can now focus on his younger kids and also his farm. He has been so focused on his oldest son he was not able to form a good connection with and get to know his younger kids, so Wang Lung's oldest son going south was a good thing. Wang Lung's second son is sharp and reminds him of his father, and he sees that he would be a good merchant, so he goes to Liu, a grain merchant, and asks for his son to be an apprentice. Lui agreed to have Wang Lung's son as an apprentice to the grain seller, and also they talked about how Lui's son was not betrothed, and Wang Lung suggested marriage with his second daughter. They were both ten at the time, so there was still time to think about things, but Wang Lung liked this family because they were rich, but not too rich they were spoiled. When he goes back home after visiting Lui, he finds O-lan binding their second daughter's feet, and she finds it uncomfortable and cries. O-lan encouraged him not to cry because foot binding was very important for women in China, and it made them more attractive wives. O-lan wanted her daughter to have her feet bound because she didn't get a chance to. Their daughter also believed that without her feet bound, "my husband would not love," because it is shown Wang Lung did not love O-lan because of her feet (Buck 204). O-lan was all he thought about that night when he slept with Lotus. O-lan was by his side from the start, and he was not giving her enough of his attention and respect. Wang Lung noticed how much O-lan has changed throughout the years and how her health has declined. She now moved slower and looked like she was in pain because of a lump growing in her stomach. Feeling bad for O-lan, Wang Lung went to town and looked for a doctor. The doctor said that O-lan's condition was a "difficult case" and that if they wanted a full recovery, they would have to pay five thousand pieces of silver, hinting that O-lan would probably not recover and said that "the woman would die" (Buck 208). Wang Lung was full of sadness and regretted not bringing her to a doctor sooner and also spending more time with her. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we learn that O-lan is dying, and Wang Lung cannot do anything about it. Before this event, Wang Lung did not care much about O-lan when he had all this money and Lotus, but slowly over time, he got used to Lotus and all of the riches and noticed what was really important to him and the one person who helped him get to these riches was O-lan. However, now it was too late to apologize because O-lan was dying. He thought about how much O-lan suffered because of beauty standards at the time and also their culture. He also saw this happening with his daughter when she was binding her feet and crying in pain. Women have sacrificed a lot for men during this time, and it is shown especially with O-lan. She had spent most of her life helping Wang Lung to his riches, but in the end, she did not get to enjoy her life with him. 

Chapter 26

Summary: In chapter 26, O-lan's condition worsens, and "she lay dying on her bed for many months" (Buck 208). Wang Lung and his kids realized how much of an impact O-lan had on their lives, and without her, life was difficult. O-lan used to comfort them all, and they did not realize it until the comfort stopped. Wang Lung sat beside O-lan's bed day after day and paid no attention to the land. Wang Lung sat by her side, but they did not talk much because O-lan was weak. However, she told a few stories of her childhood, and Wang Lung finally got to know her as a person for the first time and fully bonded with her. Before, he was busy with his farmwork and then Lotus, but when it was too late, he connected with O-lan. O-lan feels death "in her vitals waiting" and tells Wang Lung one wish she has left, and it is to see her son married before passing away. Wang Lung goes to ask Lui if she can allow her daughter to marry his son now because it is O-lan's final wish, and she agrees. When his oldest son gets home, Wang Lung sees that he has "a tall man and a goodly one, with a great square body and high ruddy cheeks and short black hair, shining and oiled" (Buck 214). Wang Lung is filled with pride and forgets about all the troubles he has caused him. The wedding ceremony comes along for Wang Lung's oldest son. However, O-lan was too weak to get out of bed, so she only could listen to the wedding. After the wedding, her final request was granted, and she couldn't hold on much longer. O-lan passed away, and her final words were, "'Well, and if I am ugly, still I have borne a son; although I am but a slave, there is a son in my house.'And again she said, suddenly. 'How can that one feed him and care for him as I do? Beauty will not bear a man sons!" (Buck 217). After O-lan's death, Wang Lung could not bear to be near her body, so he asked her uncle's wife to wash her body. Also, he could not bear sleeping in the same room she died in, so he moved his bed to Lotus's room. Also, after O-lan's death, Wang Lung's father also passed away, and he plans to bury both of them on the same day. A part of his life was buried in the earth that day, and now he regrets taking the two pearls he took from O-lan to give to Lotus. Wang Lung cried like a kid at the end of the chapter and had lots of regrets about O-lan. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see how much Wang Lung has changed when he learns that O-lan is dying. Wang Lung regrets how he has treated her throughout the years and now spends all of his time with her, comforting her. This is something any individual can relate to, no matter the background. People don't know what they appreciate until they lose that person or thing. People often take things and people they currently have for granted and suffer when they lose them. 

Chapter 27

Summary: Wang Lung has been so busy with the funerals and wedding celebrations he scarcely thought about the harvests and his farm. Ching approaches Wang Lung and tells him that there is a flood coming to the farm and this one will be worse than previous ones. Wang Lung did not expect much from this flood at first because he thought he had the money and resources to outlive this flood, so he was "carefree." However, as the days go by, the water level rose, the village is flooded, and some of the villagers are forced out of their homes because of the flood. This flood lasted until the winter time, so no one could plant anything, and there was a famine. As a result of this, Wang Lung was worried, so he "allowed nothing to be bought and sold after the winter came except what he said." he was afraid to spend too much and go broke during this critical time (Buck 224). Another problem Wang Lung had to deal with was his uncle and his uncle's family. He was afraid they would start complaining about these changes because his uncle still has control over him. If Wang Lung did not obey his uncle, then he could get his bandit group to rob Wang Lung's house, so Wang Lung gave them what they wanted. Wang Lung's eldest son sees this and suggests killing his uncle's family, but Wang Lung does not want to do that and is scared the Red Beards are going to go after him. Another suggestion from Wang Lung's son was to get them addicted to opium, which was still expensive but less costly than their lifestyle now. With his uncle's family addicted to opium, he would have control over them. Wang Lung is reluctant at first, but after his uncle's son tries to molest his younger daughter, he agrees to go through with the opium plan. He buys six ounces of opium in hopes of getting his uncle's family addicted to it. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see the differences in culture between the rich and poor. Over time, we see Wang Lung becoming more similar to the Hwang Family in their lifestyle and family relationship. Before, Wang Lung thought opium was a terrible financial choice, as he saw in the Hwang family, but now it seems like the best option. If he gets his uncle's family addicted to this drug, then he would have more control and spend less money on them. Another thing to mention is the family views of a rich family. In Chinese culture at the time, respecting your elders is a huge part of common belief and individuals had to obey them no matter what. However, as we see in a wealthy family, it is otherwise. The respect your elders element is gone, just like with Wang Lung's son when he suggests killing Wang Lung's uncle. 

Chapter 28

Summary: In chapter 28, Wang Lung sends away his second youngest daughter to her in-laws because he is worried about what Wang Lung's uncle might do to her. With this piece of mind, he now gives the opium to his uncle and his family and they happily accept the handout. They quickly become addicted to opium and don't give Wang Lung trouble anymore. Wang Lung is content with this idea because his life is a lot easier now, and he has more control over his expenses. Now that it is summer and the floods had receded, people came back to the town from the south and needed money. Everyone came to Wang Lung to borrow money, and he charged them a high interest. Some would sell them their lands and their daughters in order to purchase seeds to plant. Wang Lung still had one issue left, his uncle's oldest son was not addicted to opium and he idled around the house eyeing at all the women and slaves. This became an issue for Wang Lung, so he thought of moving away to a separate house from his uncle's family. Wang Lung's son suggested renting the great Hwang House and living there while his uncle's family lives in their old house. Wang Lung went to the house and experienced it again for a second time, but this time he was in the position to live in the house. This felt great for Wang Lung because the first time he went to the Hwang house he was nothing but a farmer going to find a slave to be his wife, but this time he was more wealthy than the Hwang family so he felt an immense sense of pride.  

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see what moving into the Hwang House means to Wang Lung. At the beginning of the book Wang Lung looks up to the Hwang family and wishes to achieve their wealth one day. Now that he has succeeded in that wealth and now is moving into the house he once dreamed of it is monumental to him. Wang Lung went from a low farmer to the richest man in town. Wang Lung was extremely satisfied with moving into the Hwang House, and it gave him a large sense of pride.  

Chapter 29

Summary: In chapter 29, Wang Lung is not as hardworking as he used to be because of his age and also because of his riches, he has become more idle. Ching also "grew old and withered and lean as a reed," and Wang Lung did not want him to work as hard as he used to (Buck 242). Ching has worked alongside Wang Lung for so long and helped him with his successes that he does not want to see him working too hard for his lean and old body. Sadly, however, Ching later suddenly dies in this chapter while working in the fields, and Wang Lung wants to bury him near his father and O-lan, but his son does not want a servant to be buried next to the family, so he doesn't. Ching also left behind something great because he set up Wang Lung's second son with a woman, and his son asked his father if he could marry her. In this chapter Wang Lung also becomes a grandfather because his oldest son gave birth to a son. His son wanted to start worshiping their ancestors and not just the land and start a new celebration every year. During the time this, was something the extremely rich did so they would fit right in. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see the passing of time for the characters. Wang Lung and Ching age and Buck show how they are becoming weaker and more idle. Wang Lung himself becomes a grandfather. and this comes with great responsibility and pride because he has a legacy now. Ching's sudden death also signifies that death is a very real possibility and everyone has a deadline no matter how hard they work, and everybody dies in the end. 

Chapter 30

Summary: In chapter 30, we can see that Wang Lung is settling down and relaxing more than ever. Most of his troubles were taken care of, but there was one person that came to him, his oldest son. He was still slightly spoiled and wanted to buy a lot of things and make irresponsible financial decisions. One of them was to buy more expensive furniture to put into their house. His reason was that "Now there is my younger brother's wedding due in a bare six months and we have not chairs enough to seat the guests...It is a shame, moreover, to ask guests to come through the great gates and through all that commons warm with their stinks and their noise" (Buck 251). Wang Lung complained to him about his excessive spending and that he wouldn't buy it for him because it was irresponsible. Wang Lung is relieved that his second son is better at spending money responsibly, so he thinks of leaving his expenses to him. However, Wang Lung's third son did not want to work on the farm with the family and wanted to study and become studios, so Wang Lung supported him and hired a tutor to educate him. Toward the end of the chapter, Wang Lung's uncle dies. He had no care about his death and buried him in the family cemetery. He buried him a little lower than his father's and above where his own grave was going to be. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see that children may not become what their parents have wanted them to be, and parents have to support them no matter what because they are family. Children have dreams of their own, and their parents can't stop them no matter how hard they try. Just like with Wang Lung and his third son, Wang Lung wanted to pass down his farm to his children, but they had other dreams. It is best to support one's kids, so Wang Lung still hires a tutor for him. 

Chapter 31

Summary: In this chapter, Wang Lung learns that a war is coming closer to him as the days go by. Before this, Wang Lung had not experienced any war fist hand, and he had just heard about it from word of mouth. Wang Lung was curious and wanted to see war because he "shall be glad to see a war for what it is, for I have heard of it all my life and never seen it" (Buck 262). Then one day, a horde of men came by and arrived at Wang Lung's village. One of the soldiers was the son of Wang Lung's uncle, and he asked for Wang Lung to house him and his friends. Wang Lung could not do or say anything, but the soldiers just swarmed into his house and used him for food and shelter. Wang Lung was filled with anger, but he had no control over the army of men in his home. Toward the end of the chapter, Wang Lung's cousin needed to pick a slave to marry, so he picked Pear Blossom, one of the prettier slaves Wang Lung bought during the famine. However, Pear Blossom begged not to be with his cousin, so another slave took her place.  

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see how Wang Lung's Uncle's son took advantage of Wang Lung when the war came. China during that time, was getting out of control and the stronger people with numbers could take control of even a rich family like Wang Lung's. The citizens were scared of the war, and the soldier took advantage of this fear for personal gain. 

Chapter 32

Summary: In chapter 32, the soldiers left Wang Lung's house, and they had to clean up the mess they left behind. After that, one of his slaves gave birth to a girl, with was not good because a girl born to a slave would only be a "slave bearing slave," so Wang Lung married his slave to another one of his laborers (Buck 271). In the middle of that chapter, his uncle's wife dies, so he buries her next to his uncle in the family land. It was a relief because she didn't bother him for opium anymore. Toward the end of the chapter, Wang Lung's sons start to argue with one another and don't get along well. The reason for this is because of greed and their wives don't have a good relationship with one another. Wang Lung's third son also wanted to be a soldier and Wang Lung did not agree with that idea, so his son asked for Pear Blossom instead but Wang Lung did not want "the rotten ways of young lords in my house" (Buck 277).

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see how similar Wang Lung is becoming to The Old Master of the Hwang family. He has many slaves, and people come to him asking for wives. However, he is not fully like The Old Master because he still has some honest standards. Villagers come and sell their daughters to him because they trust his judgment and morals. 

Chapter 33

Summary: In chapter 33, Wang Lung develops a liking for his slave Pear Blossom. He now watched her more and thought of her throughout the day. One night when Wang Lung was talking to Pear Blossom alone, he learned that she was attracted to old men because "they are so kind" and  "young men are only fierce" (Buck 280). With this in my, Wang Lung took Pear Blossom to his court. Cuckoo saw Wang Lung with Pear Blossom and realized that he was becoming The Old Master all over again. His third son found out about this affair so he got mad and went away to fight in the war. 

Analysis: In this chapter, we can see how similar Wang Lung is to The Old Master because he takes young women as his concubine. The Old Master had plenty of mistresses but Wang Lung was not at his level of a terrible person yet because he has some standards. He is gentle to his servants and Pear Blossom wanted it and he didn't force anything. 

Chapter 34

Summary: In the last chapter, Buck shows Wang Lung becoming old and nearing his death. Pear Blossom was his last love interest, and his passion for her slowly died off as he neared his death. Pear Blossom took care of him when he neared his days of death. One day Wang Lung gave Pear Blossom some poison so she could give it to his mentally challenged daughter because there was if he is dead, "there was not another one except himself who cared whether she lived or starved" (Buck 285). Hearing this, Pear Blossom reassured Wang Lung that she would take care of his daughter when he passed away to repay for the kindness. Throughout the chapter, we can see how Wang Lung had his children's views start to differ. They find his mindset and lifestyle to be "old-fashioned" and Wang Lung worries his sons will sell his land when he passes. Wang Lung's last words were "If you sell the land, it is the end" (Buck 293). His sons said they wouldn't sell the land but they looked at each other and smiled after saying that and the story ended. 

Analysis: The story ending like this could signify that the sons indeed did sell the lands. Wang Lung said that if they sell the land, then it will be the end, and the story did end which represented the end of the story and the end of the family because the sons did not want to keep the legacy of their father. His sons thought differently from their father and their foolishness led to the demise of their family and wealth.