Women In The Good Earth

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As with everything that grows, it must first be nurtured. Pearl S. Buck described this very accurately when she wrote in The Good Earth, “and roots, if they are to bear fruits, must be kept well in the soil of the land.” Not only is this true for crops but it is also accurate when it comes to people. Oliver is a prime example of someone who nurtures another in order for them to succeed. She supports her husband without question so that he can prosper. At the end of the novel, Wang Lung finally realizes that Oliver truly is “the good earth” since she is the rock upon which he has stood throughout every difficult situation he has been in. He would be nothing without her. The virtuous woman mentioned in Proverbs 31:10-31 and Oliver are very similar …show more content…
Both of these women are products of sexism due to the fact that they do what is expected of them in their roles as wife and mother. Nevertheless, the virtuous woman and Oliver both resist these expectations in some way. In Proverbs 31: 16 it says that the virtuous woman “considers a field and buys it” even though this was not a common responsibility for women in her time. In The Good Earth, Oliver was abnormal for a woman in her country since she did not bind her feet, a Chinese tradition practiced at that time. Both women also worked in the fields, even though that was usually left for the men to do. However, while the virtuous woman is very beautiful, Oliver is very plain. Yet, Oliver is incredibly strong, mentally and physically, and wise beyond her years. She survived being a slave, her husband getting a new wife, multiple times of starvation, and working while pregnant. Being a quiet and obedient wife, Oliver was always silent until she had to step in and voice her opinion. The most important example of this is when she told Wang Lung to never sell the land even when in dire trouble. These instances show how similar Oliver is to the virtuous woman in Proverbs …show more content…
Both of these women are major characters and protagonists. Oliver and the virtuous woman live up to the expectations given to them as wives and mothers. Each woman has faced various problems due to their different backgrounds. However, both want to be appreciated for their hard work. Both have many similarities such as working diligently, being a good wife to their husband, and taking wonderful care of their families. Although Oliver and the virtuous woman are not entirely the same, they are very alike in a multitude of ways. Therefore, Oliver could be considered the virtuous woman of The Good
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