The Good Earth: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Wang Lung has often thought his uncle might cause trouble, and now he begins to do so. Because of their family ties, Wang Lung has to support him if the uncle needs help. The uncle works enough to feed his family, but no more. The uncle’s wife doesn’t keep their house clean, and their daughters run around the village and talk to men. This disgrace makes Wang Lung so angry that he tells his uncle’s wife that no one will marry a girl who’s so bold with men.

The uncle’s wife tells Wang Lung that they can’t pay for their daughters to marry since they don’t have the sort of money he does. She says it isn’t her husband’s fault that he has bad luck no matter how hard he works. Tearing at her hair and weeping, she laments her family’s “evil destiny.” Her neighbors come to watch, but Wang Lung insists that the eldest daughter must be married while she’s still a virgin, and then he goes home. He dreams of becoming richer and doesn’t want his uncle’s family to ruin his rise in status.

The next day, Wang Lung’s uncle comes to the field where he’s working. O-lan isn’t working with him, because she’s pregnant again, and not as strong as before. Wang Lung’s uncle’s clothes fit him badly. He comes to stand silently where Wang Lang is hoeing. Finally, Wang Lung says sarcastically that he must be a slower worker than his uncle, if his uncle is already done cultivating his beans. His uncle replies that bad luck has made his beans fail to grow. Wang Lung knows his uncle has come to ask a favor.

Wang Lung’s uncle agrees that his daughter should be married, and he’s worried that she’ll get pregnant and shame their family. Wang Lung wants to tell him to force her act respectably, but he can’t say this to someone older than him. His uncle laments that his wife is lazy and only births girls. If he were as rich as Wang Lung, he says, he would share his wealth with his nephew.

Wang Lung replies that he isn’t rich, and has many mouths to feed. His uncle says that his purchase of land from the Hwangs shows his wealth. Wang Lung gets angry, telling his uncle that he and O-lan work hard, unlike his uncle and his uncle’s wife. His uncle slaps him for speaking disrespectfully to an elder. Wang Lung knows he has done wrong, but remains angry. His uncle threatens to tell the whole village of Wang Lung’s disrespect.

Finally, Wang Lung asks what his uncle wants of him. His uncle calms down and asks for money to marry off his oldest daughter. Wang Lung takes him to the house for the silver, resentful because he knows his savings are going to be wasted on his uncle’s gambling. At the house, his uncle gives Wang Lung’s children coins and admires them while Wang Lung goes to his room for the money.

In the room, Wang Lung finds that O-lan has birthed a girl, which she calls a “slave.” Wang Lung feels that the birth signifies bad luck. When he takes the silver out of the wall, O-lan asks what he’s doing, and he says he must lend it to his uncle. O-lan points out that it won’t be a loan, but a gift. Wang Lung is aware of this. He gives his uncle the money and goes back to the field, where he falls to work with a passion, thinking of his money wasted.

By evening, Wang Lung’s anger wanes and he remembers that he now has another mouth to feed. He anticipates more daughters to come, who are raised for the good of other families. He hasn’t even looked at his daughter’s face yet. Leaning on his hoe, he grieves that now he won’t be able to buy more land until the next year. He sees a flock of crows land in the trees near his house, and he chases them away. It’s a bad omen.