Gender inequality in Pearl Buck's The Good Earth

Abstract

Feminism and female resilience have come of age in present times in most advanced societies. The evolution of women has been slow and stunted. This paper aims to expose the landscape of feminism in contrast to its masculine counterpart as reflected in the literary work of Pearl S. Buck. Through the study of the novel, The Good Earth, the threefold aspect of the concept of gender, the literary values influenced by patriarchal ideology, and the fundamentals of modern feminism and female resilience are analysed. Feminist theory is used to explore the themes of patriarchy, women objectification, and discrimination. Buck has used the techniques of narration and historical events in the novel to represent the essence of feminism and the problems faced by women. Such representations are epistemically desirable and important in understanding the stereotypical paradigms of gender and the changes through feminists like Simone de Beauvoir and Kate Millet.