This one is a heavy read from me, more than anything else.For me it was about the unconscious trap that we put ourselves into just to mold into what the society wants us to be or wants us to have without even appreciating what we already have.
The main character of the story, Wang Lung acquired a wife from a house that has been previously known to be a great one.Notice that I use acquire because Its already the first one I notice about the story. He was proud of the fact that he was able to acquire a wife to start a family but the idea of wife in his mind is just someone who will look after his future children and his father, someone who will tend and do the chores. It was a very demeaning way of getting a wife. He is also a very shallow, because He wanted to show that He can be able to acquire one. Its a way of showing off. Thats why he used most of his money to buy unnecessary thing for the celebration of acquiring a wife.
He didn't appreciated the beauty of his wife.But along the story you will see that the character of the O-lan(Wang Lung's wife) is the reason behind his success.She helped him in tilling the soil even though she's very pregnant and just stopped when she gave birth. Her devotion was very singular and selfless even though she's been traumatized and has insecurities that was only molded by the society's irrational standard. That she accepted and she obliged to put herself into the mold.It was pitiful.She was also the reason why they were able to afford the land that he bought that was good land to farm with. Its also the reason why she didn't said anything about Wang Lung's cheating.When Wang Lung took the set of pearls she kept to herself just to give it his mistress.She compromised her worth because she didn't believe that she has one. When she was dying, that was only the time that Wang Lung noticed that she might experienced something from the past. why only then? Because he couldn't care less. And He only fully realized her importance when she's already gone.
I wanted to add the fact that Wang Lung is also manipulated by his uncle and uncle's family because He's too concerned with what everyone will say about him.When he was able to acquire someone that suits the beauty superficially. He grabbed it become addicted without even thinking about O-lan's feelings.It was only a way to stroke his own ego.He only realized the girl's attitude later on.
Its a sad story but definitely worth reading more than once.It really depicted the reality of life and people even to this day and age.P.S. I got a melancholy sickness from reading this story and even after reading it, I still think about some food for thoughts that the author really showed in the story.
