Pearl S. Buck

Pearl S. Buck was a prolific American novelist and a dedicated humanitarian.

She is most famous for writing *The Good Earth*, which was the best-selling novel in the United States during 1931 and 1932. This work earned her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, she became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Nobel committee honored her for her epic descriptions of peasant life in China. She also wrote two significant memoir-biographies about her parents, who were missionaries. Her life work bridged the gap between Western and Eastern cultures through storytelling and activism.

Buck's unique perspective grew from a childhood spent between two distinct cultures. Born in Hillsboro, West Virginia, in 1892, she moved to China at only four months old.

Her parents were Southern Presbyterian missionaries. She lived in several worlds simultaneously. One was the small, clean Presbyterian world of her parents. The other was the large, merry, and "not-too-clean" Chinese world. She was raised in a bilingual environment. She learned English from her mother, local dialects from Chinese playmates, and classical Chinese from a scholar named Mr. Kung. These early experiences formed the foundation of her literary voice.

Her path to becoming a professional writer was shaped by both beauty and tragedy. During annual summer trips to a stone villa in Kuling, she decided to pursue writing.

After graduating from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in 1914, she returned to China as a Presbyterian missionary. She married John Lossing Buck, an agricultural economist, in 1917. They lived in regions like Suzhou and Nanjing, which provided the setting for her most famous books. However, the 1920s brought significant personal challenges. Her daughter, Carol, was born with phenylketonuria, a condition that caused severe developmental disabilities. Buck also faced the loss of her mother to a tropical disease called sprue in 1921.

Political instability in China also deeply affected her life and work. During the Nanking Incident in March 1927, violent battles broke out involving Nationalist troops, Communist forces, and warlords.

While many Westerners were killed, Buck's family found safety in a poor Chinese family's hut. This period of hiding and fear was a turning point. After a brief stay in Japan, she returned to Nanjing and devoted herself fully to writing. She sought to support herself and provide for Carol's specialized care. She also wanted to fulfill the artistic ambitions her mother had never realized.

Buck's literary success arrived alongside a shift in her religious and social views. While living in Nanjing, she completed the manuscript for *The Good Earth* in her university house attic.

In 1933, she gave a controversial speech titled "Is There a Case for the Foreign Missionary?" She argued that China did not need an institutional church controlled by ignorant or arrogant missionaries. This stance led to her resignation from the Presbyterian Board. Following this, she moved to the United States and married her publisher, Richard J. Walsh. This partnership helped fuel her intense productivity as a writer.

Beyond her books, Buck was a powerful advocate for social justice and human rights.

She campaigned for the rights of women and promoted racial equality. She was particularly well known for her work supporting Asian and mixed-race adoption. After moving to Green Hills Farm in Pennsylvania, she and Walsh filled their home with many adopted children. Her humanitarianism was also reflected in her response to the 1931 China floods. She wrote stories about refugees that were broadcast on the radio to raise relief funds. She used her global platform to speak for those who were often ignored.

In her 1938 Nobel Lecture, Buck explained her philosophy regarding the purpose of the novel. She noted that in China, the novelist's task was not just to create art, but to speak to the people.

She believed writers should address the specific needs of their audience. To farmers, a writer should speak of their land. To the elderly, a writer should speak of peace. To women, a writer should speak of their children. Buck aimed to write stories that millions of people could read, rather than works intended for only a small elite. Her legacy remains a testament to the power of cross-cultural understanding.