In The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck women are considered inferior to men. In the 20th century, the period in which this novel is set, women are considered the property of men from birth until death. Buck illustrates the perspective of women in the novel by creating different relationships and thoughts between the opposite sexes. The story's main character, Wang Lung, treats many women in his life the same, except one. Some of the women who depended on him, but also played an important role in his life were Olan, Lotus, and Poor Fool. Although each of the women in the story served a different purpose and were treated mostly the same, they all highlighted a more universal observation about women in twentieth-century Chinese culture. Over the course of Wang Lung's life more and more women were introduced to him. Whether they became part of his family, or worked as slaves or concubines, they were all treated with the same respect. The first woman Wang Lung ever met was Olan. Olan was a slave to the wealthy House of Hwang, and had been since she was ten years old. In the first chapter Buck tells how Wang Lung's father went to the House of Hwang and asked for a girl "not a slave too young, and above all, not beautiful" (8). Then he says:Parker 2And what will we do with a beautiful woman? Must we have a woman take care of the home and have children while working in the fields, and a beautiful woman will do these things? She will forever think about clothes that match her face! No, she is not a beautiful woman in our house. We are farmers. After all, who ever heard of a beautiful virgin slave in a rich house? All the young lords have had enough. It's better... middle of paper... The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck, truly illustrates the lives of Chinese women in the twentieth century. It not only describes the daily lives of women, but also delves into the perception of women back then. While there are many other women in the story who leave an imprint on Wang Lung's life, Olan, Lotus, and Poor Fool are the three most important. Works Cited Baker, Caroline. "Position of Women in Chinese History - Chinese Culture". BellaOnline – The voice of women. 2011. Network. February 28, 2011.Gao Xiongya. Chinese Women Characters by Pearl S. Buck. Cranbury, NJ: Associated University Presses, 2000.Hist 471: Chinese Culture in 20th Century A Blog of One's Own." A Blog of One's Own. January 27, 2009. Web. February 28, 2011.SparkNotes Editors. "SparkNote on The Good Earth .” SparkNotes.com.SparkNotes LLC. 2011.