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Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth : a Work of World Literature Influenced by the Chinese Novel

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Author

  • Norah Landin

Summary, in English

In 1938, Pearl S. Buck was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, thanks to her second book The Good Earth about a Chinese farmer. Blistering criticism came from the American cultural elite that claimed her style of writing did not reach the Nobel Prize standard. Buck responded by saying that her style of writing was influenced by the Chinese novel rather than the Western novel. This study will compare The Good Earth with the Chinese novel and discuss characteristics that support Buck's claim. Furthermore, it will analyse The Good Earth through the lens of a relatively new field of literary criticism – World Literature – to analyse how the book is positioned in the literary world today. This study suggests that The Good Earth shares characteristics with the Chinese novel and that the book today would be classified as a work of World Literature.

Publishing year

2018

Language

English

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (one year)

Topic

  • Languages and Literatures

Keywords

  • Pearl S. Buck
  • World Literature
  • Chinese novel

Supervisor

  • Cecilia Wadsö-Lecaros (PhD)