WLIRP+Jane

= World Literature Independent Reading Project = Quarter 1 2009-2010 Note: In order for your book to qualify it must be by an author from a country other than the United States or the United Kingdom OR the primary setting must be outside of the United States or the United Kingdom.


 * Title: //The Good Earth//
 * Author: //Pearl S. Buck//
 * Author’s Nationality: //America//
 * Setting (only list the primary settings): //China//
 * Total Pages: //357//
 * Original Publication Date: //1931//
 * If your book is translated, who is the translator? If not translated write “NA”: //NA//
 * Do you currently have a physical copy of the book?: //yes//
 * If you do not have a physical copy, how soon can you get one? (Write “NA” if you have a copy.): //NA//

1. If you don’t already, obtain a physical copy of the book and bring it to class when instructed. 2. Become an expert on your book by the end of the first quarter. The quarter ends on October 15th, so you have about seven weeks to complete the book. Keep in mind that you will be reading this book in addition to assigned readings for class, so when the homework load is light read your book. This is also the book you should use for KIS Reads. 3. Read actively by taking notes in the book (use Post-its if it’s on loan), and make sure you understand the main conflicts, how the characters develop, and any major themes. 4. At the end of each weak, write a 100-200 word reflection about your reading. Use your notes or post-its for ideas. 5. Your book will be the basis of a writing project at the conclusion of the first quarter, so keep track of the book.
 * Directions:**

How many pages do you need to read per week to be completed by 15 October, 2009?: 357 Week 1: 31 August - 4 September: //51 : 0 // Week 2: 7-11 September: //102: 10 // Week 3: 14-18 September: //153: 86 // Week 4: 21-25 September: //204// Week 5: 28 September - 2 October: //255// Week 6: 5-9 October: //306// Week 7: 12-15 October: //357// You must be completed with your book by Thursday, 15 October, 2009. -- = Reflection = How is your World Lit. reading going? Are you keeping up with your reading plan? What do you think about your book so far? What are the main conflicts? Are there any particularly interesting characters? Why? Have you noticed any major themes developing? Do you see any connections between your World Lit book and anything else you have read recently?
 * Once your selection has been approved, fill out the following:**

WEEK 3 //My World Literature reading is getting more interesting by the page. However I am a bit behind on schedule. I should have been on page 153 by now, but I am still on page 100. However I am confident I will be able to finish the reading in the 7 week period. An interesting character is Wang Lung. He is the main character who amazes me. This book really focuses on people during this time in China. Wang Lung starts by going to get a servant girl to be his wife, who would bear children and do all the housework. The most amazing thing that he treats his wife like a real servant. He also gets really mad when his wife bears a girl who starts to grant bad luck. The major problem/theme is that his wife had bore a girl and there land is starting to fail. We start to find how the family will live without the best land and a girl, an extra mouth to feed, in the family. I have been reading many other books these days. One connection I could find was from "Homeless Bird" a book that takes place in India. A major similarity is that the girls are always a burden as well as marrying them off with a good dowry is hard. Another major similarity is that both the bride and the groom don't get to choose their wife or husband. Adding on, the woman always do the housework and the men the field work.//

Completion When I first started this book, I really felt like putting the book down. But when I told myself to be patient and finish the book. I realized that this book is one of the most interesting books I have read. This is actually the first book that I read that takes place in China during the 20th century. It was really interesting to learn about how commoners during this time lived. I found the character Lotus really interesting. I really thought to myself would pretty woman in China just sit there and wait for the men to feed her and do all the work. No guilt? not even if there's another woman in the house. The Good Earth actually reminded me of Cry, the beloved Country. This book also takes place during the 20th century but takes place in South Africa. It was really cool how even during the same time, two places could be so different.

C ompare and Contrast : Cry, The Beloved Country (Alan Paton) vs. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
Introduction: summary of Cry, The beloved country: Basically about a man who cared about his land but it seemed to him that the land he cared about so much was slowly becoming red. Even his own son gets himself into trouble. However in the end a worthy man makes an effort to bring back the green land that used to exist. summary of the Good Earth: Wang Lung is a poor farmer who really cares about his land. He marries a woman who will bear the children and do all the housework. There are hard times in this family but the farmer really cares for his land. As time goes on he becomes rich through his land and becomes a lazy noble. He pays other people to work and he marries a beautiful woman who won't do the housework or bear children. But in the end he regrets everything and stays by his first wife and takes care of the children who soon turn their back on him.

Body: Differences Wang Lung is a farmer while Stephen Kumalo is a reverand. Cry, The beloved country is about South Africa and The Good Earth is about China. Alan Paton doesn't take literal land to describe how much land was important but the actual human life where the good earth takes literal land (farming) to emphasize the importance of land. Alan Paton to describe the importance of life took away the actual son of Stephen Kumalo and how much a father can do to save his son. But in the end Stephen never gets his son back. Pearl S. Buck tries to take away Wang Lung's daughter to show how a father can't sell their daughter for himself to live.

Similarities Wang Lung & Stephen Kumalo are both poor Wang Lung and Stephen Kumalo both worry about the land Both emphasize the importance of land and life. Both characters love their land till the end. Both Alan Paton & Pearl S. Buck take away an important family member.

Conclusion: Despite different settings, two books can have a lot in common.

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