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

Landin, Norah LU (2018) ENGX54 20181
Division of English Studies
Abstract
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... (More)
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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Landin, Norah LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENGX54 20181
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Pearl S. Buck, World Literature, Chinese novel
language
English
id
8954253
date added to LUP
2018-11-05 16:50:13
date last changed
2018-11-05 16:50:13
@misc{8954253,
  abstract     = {{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.}},
  author       = {{Landin, Norah}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth : a Work of World Literature Influenced by the Chinese Novel}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}