The Good Earth Lesson Plan

When Wang Lung is burying his dead newborn child, he sees two bruises on her neck. What could these bruises be from? What is their significance with regard to the overall narrative?

Considering the fact that the baby cried once and therefore seemed to be born alive, the bruises indicate that O-lan strangled the baby immediately after it was born. This is not certain, as the starving conditions could also have caused the death of the baby, but it seems to be heavily implied. Students will likely have strong reactions to this section. The teacher should encourage them to think about O-lan's motivations. Some students may think that O-lan was merciful in killing her child....