Explain the five ways in which we see Wang Lung's status changing throughout this book.

1) simple farmer/ marries a slave

2) The Hwang family (where O'lan once acted as a slave), falls upon hard times and Wang Lung is able to purchase a small field.

3) Famine forces the family to move to a southern city/ Wang Lung steals a bag of gold, Olan steals jewels. They move back home.

4) Wang Lung is able to purchase 300 acres with the jewels stolen by O'Lan. His harvests are profitable, and he becomes a rich man

5) Wang Lung's sons cannot wait to dispense of the land their father has acquired.