Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 A Brief Introduction to Buck’s Life Experiences-1

1.2 A Brief Introduction to The Good Earth-1

1.3 The Current Research Status Home and Abroad-2

1.4 Objectives and Structure of the Thesis-3

Chapter Two Buck’s Unique Depiction of Chinese Farmers-4

2.1 The Pursuit of Realistic Perspectives-4

2.2 Toppling the Stereotyped Image of “The Others” as Forged by Western Centrist Authors-4

2.3 Feminist Concern for the Fate of Chinese Women-5

Chapter Three Analysis of the Virtues of Chinese Farmers in The Good Earth-7

3.1 Affection for the Land-7

3.2 Filial Piety-8

3.3 Diligence-9

Chapter Four Analysis of the Negative Image of Chinese Farmers in The Good Earth-10

4.1 Patriarchal Oppression on Women-10

4.2 Conservativeness-11

4.3 Submission and Numbness-12

Chapter Five Conclusion-14

References-15

Abstract

For a long time, China is a major agricultural country, with the farmers accounting for over 70 percent of the whole population. The lives of Chinese peasants are often written in literary works. It was primarily Chinese writers’ task to reflect the lives of Chinese peasants. Nevertheless, American woman writer Pearl Buck successfully won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1938 for her work The Good Earth which describes the living conditions of Chinese farmers. When the novel was first published in American, it immediately received a hot discussion in the West. During that time, the western people almost had no idea of China. From their point of view, it is a mysterious, exotic but backward country. This book shows the story of Chinese farmers’ struggling for survival and fighting with fate which has greatly touched the Western readers. 

What’s more, due to Buck’s moving account of Chinese farmers, western readers begun to take a new view of Chinese farmers. Just like farmers in other countries, Chinese farmers treasure the land and work hard on the land with their diligence and wisdom. These descriptions greatly changed the foreigners’ misconceptions of Chinese peasants and contributed to bridge the culture gap between the West and the East.    

Although many writers and scholars have researched works of Buck, there is still more space for the further study, especially the studies on the images of Chinese farmers. Therefore, this paper will concentrate on the images of Chinese farmers in The Good Earth and help people home and abroad have a deep insight of Chinese farmers. Moreover, the author of this paper hopes to find out the historical fate and experiences of Chinese peasants in the course of a particular historical period through this research and show Buck’s outstanding achievements in literary character depiction which in depth of the essence of Chinese culture.  

Keywords:  image of Chinese farmers; The Good Earth; Pearl Buck