A pearl’s beginnings stem from a tiny grain of sand finding it’s way into the lowly oyster. One marvels at the beauty found beneath its uncomely shell. Such is the beauty encountered in The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck. Wang Lung is a poor yet industrious farmer in a small village of China during the late 1800’s. A hard-working man, he is given a simple slave girl, O-lan, as a wife. As …showed first 75 words of 944 total…

…showed last 75 words of 944 total…becoming plump and not-so-beautiful. As Lotus’ outward beauty fades away, O-lan’s health begins to waste away. Wang Lung becomes acutely aware of the wealth of beauty O-lan actually possesses. He marvels at her steadfastness and her loyalty to him. Sadly so, he ensures that her last days were, at long last, full of comfort. O-lan dies a beautiful death; nonetheless her symbolic beauty never fades away from the heart and mind of Wang Lung.