In this novel, the land is called the “good earth” because it provides Wang Lung with essential physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment. Working in the fields brings him happiness, as farming is deeply rooted in his family's tradition of living off the land. However, when a famine compels him to relocate to the city, he becomes disconnected from his life source. This contrast between rural and urban existence is a recurring theme in the story. When Wang Lung discovers that the young masters of the House of Hwang have lost their connection to the land, he insists that his two sons work in the fields. He wishes for them to "early take into their bones and their blood the feel of the soil under their feet, and the feel of the hoe hard in their hands." Working the land revitalizes Wang Lung's spirit during critical moments. Whenever he encounters challenges, physical labor on the farm aids in his recovery. It frees him from his unhealthy obsession with Lotus and has a similar effect after the locust plague: “For seven days he thought of nothing but his land, and he was healed of his troubles and his fears.” While other aspects of life may change, the land remains a constant. Even when Wang Lung becomes wealthy and moves into a townhouse, his connection to the land remains strong—“his roots were in the land.” Each spring, he feels a longing to return, even though he no longer possesses the strength to work the plow. Losing his bond with the land is akin to losing his connection to life itself. This is why, when he hears his sons discuss selling the land, he cautions them, “If you sell the land, it is the end.”

The recurring theme of wealth breeding corruption is intricately tied to the notion of losing touch with the land. At the beginning of the novel, the House of Hwang symbolizes immense prosperity and luxury. When Wang Lung arrives bearing meat for his wedding feast, the gateman dismisses it as only suitable for dogs in this household. In the grand hall, Wang Lung is so awestruck by its grandeur and size that he nearly trips. The House of Hwang's fortune was built over many generations through extensive land ownership. However, over time, they lost sight of the true source of their wealth. The young lords travel abroad, recklessly squandering money, and never visit the land themselves. Instead, they rely on agents to handle their affairs, merely collecting the profits. Eventually, the House of Hwang falls into ruin. As Cuckoo tells Wang Lung, “And in these generations the strength of the land has gone from them and bit by bit the land has begun to go also.”

Though Wang Lung takes this lesson to heart, he also experiences a phase where wealth leads him to neglect the values of thrift and diligence that have shaped his life. He forgets his modest beginnings and becomes somewhat prideful. The humble tea shop he has frequented for years no longer satisfies him, and he decides his wife is no longer suitable. Upon meeting Lotus, he becomes self-conscious about smelling like a farmer, prompting him to have clothes custom-made in a fashionable style. He even wears velvet shoes similar to those of the Old Master Hwang. In a candid moment, O-lan comments that he reminds her of the young lords in the House of Hwang, a remark Wang Lung mistakenly interprets as a compliment. He risks following the same path as the young lords. Even after moving past his infatuation with Lotus, he still views himself as superior to ordinary people. When he ventures into a poorer part of town and sees the common folk, he looks down on them as “filthy” and walks past them “with his nose up and breathing lightly because of the stink they made.” He forgets that not long ago, he was one of them, rarely bathing until he met Lotus, believing “the clean sweat of his labor washing enough for ordinary times.”

The third example of wealth's corrupting power is represented by Wang Lung's eldest son. Unlike his father, he lacks a deep connection to the land, having been raised in a wealthy environment. He looks down on ordinary people, who ridicule him for his arrogance, saying he has forgotten the earthy aroma of manure from his father's farm. His spending is lavish, seemingly unaware that all their wealth comes from the land. O-lan notices, as she once did with Wang Lung, that her eldest son's behavior is reminiscent of the young lords from the House of Hwang. The desire of both the eldest and second sons to sell the land after Wang Lung's death suggests they might be repeating the mistakes of those who poorly managed the House of Hwang.

In the novel's depicted society, women occupy a subordinate status. Before marriage, O-lan endures life as a slave, accustomed to laboring from dawn until midnight. As Wang Lung's wife, she is nearly reduced to a domestic servant, responsible for all the cooking, household chores, and assisting her husband in the fields. She comprehends her role and accepts her life's conditions without complaint, even though Wang Lung shows her little respect. Early in their marriage, Wang Lung briefly ponders her past as a slave but quickly feels ashamed of his curiosity, thinking, “She was, after all, only a woman.”

A significant moment occurs when O-lan gives birth to her first daughter, disappointing both her and Wang Lung. She states, “It is only a slave this time—not worth mentioning,” and Wang Lung, preoccupied with his uncle, does not even look at the newborn. He perceives the birth almost as a misfortune, believing it marks “the birth of daughters had begun for him.” A female child is not even considered part of her birth family, as she will marry and join another family when she reaches child-bearing age.

The undervaluation of women is further highlighted during difficult times when impoverished families often sell their daughters into slavery to ensure the survival of other family members. When O-lan suffocates her second daughter, born during a famine, she is acting on a pervasive cultural devaluation of female life. It is highly improbable she would have taken the same action if the child had been a boy.