The Good Earth
by Pearl S. Buck
Table of Contents
Chapter 23 to Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Three Summary
Wang Lung wants his son to marry someone rich and not a woman from the village. However, he does not know many rich people, and he feels that he should not approach them. Lotus informs Wang Lung about Liu, who is a grain merchant. She has a daughter old enough to marry. However, Wang Lung hears that his nephew took Wang Lung’s son to a prostitute. Wang Lung offers the prostitute twice her price if she agrees to refuse his son. Wang Lung tells Cuckoo to begin the marriage process with Liu’s daughter and his son. In his anger, Wang Lungs demands that his uncle and his uncle’s family leave. Unfortunately, Wang Lung’s uncle opens his jacket and reveals a fake red beard and a sheath of red material. These symbolize a group of robbers who burn men and rape women.
Wang Lung now knows that his uncle is the reason that his home and family have been avoided during raids. If he kicks his uncle out of the house, Wang Lung will open his family to the possibility of theft and injury. Therefore, Wang Lung is forced to let his uncle and his family stay in his home.
Cuckoo is able to arrange the marriage between Liu’s daughter and Wang Lung’s son. However, Liu’s daughter is too young to marry right away. A plague of locusts threaten to completely ruin Wang Lung’s farm and crops.
Chapter Twenty-Four Summary
Wang Lung’s son wants to attend a university in the south, but Wang Lung will not let him go. Strangely, O-lan appears as if she has been pregnant for three years, but she is without child. She reports that her stomach condition is painful, but she continues to work. O-lan tells her husband that their oldest son has been sleeping with Lotus. Wang Lung does not believe her, so O-lan tells him to come home early one day and see for himself. When he does, Wang Lung finds them together. He beats his son and Lotus, and then sends his son to the university he originally forbade him to attend.
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