The Good Earth Chapter 4 Summary

  • So, proud Wang Lung heads off to the market to get himself some red eggs and sugar. The sugar merchant halfheartedly congratulates him on his new baby, and Wang Lung thinks that this is the most amazing thing ever. He must be the most fortunate man alive. 
  • Of course, it's not good to be too fortunate, because then you are a target for bad fortune. To protect himself, Wang Lung runs to the temple of the earth gods and leaves some incense there. Whew, safe. 
  • Back home, time passes quickly, and before we know it, it is winter. O-lan is back out in the fields, and Wang Lung watches her while she breastfeeds the baby.  
  • This year, the harvests are better than ever and the Lung family is living high on the hog, unlike his lazy uncle's family, who spend all their money on fancy clothes. We get the feeling that this uncle is going to be trouble for Wang Lung, don't you? 
  • Anyway, soon it is the baby's one month birthday, and he lives. The family throws a big party, and everyone is invited.