Answer:
The last 11 lines of The Good Earth reinforce the basic message of the novel. Wang Lung tells his sons that they need the land to live. But they have already grown up separated from the land, and it's clear that as soon as Wang Lung dies, they're going to sell his land to the highest bidder.
The ending of the novel also bookends the story. We met Wang Lung on his wedding day, when he was a farmer whose land was more important to him than anything else. Even though it took him several chapters, Wang Lung is now back on his farm. All he cares about is the land, and instead of being like an Old Lord, he is more like his father.
Wang Lung's story is back where it started, just as the seasons go through cycles and return to where they started. But this last scene is also the beginning of another cycle: the House of Hwang is also repeating its history. We know that someday Wang Lung's sons will try to sell the land, just like the Young Lords did. That day is almost here.
The ending also tells us that this is the end of Wang Lung's story. The next book in The House of Earth trilogy is titled Sons. We'll give you three guesses what that book is about.
Explanation:
BUT ONE DAY he saw clearly for a little while. It was a day on which his two sons had come and after they had greeted him courteously they went out and they walked about the house on to the land. Now Wang Lung followed them silently, and they stood, and he came up to them slowly, and they did not hear the sound of his footsteps nor the sound of his staff on the soft earth, and Wang Lung heard his second son say in his mincing voice,
"This field we will sell and this one, and we will divide the money between us evenly. Your share I will borrow at good interest, for now with the railroad straight through I can ship rice to the sea and I..."
But the old man heard only these words, "sell the land," and he cried out and he could not keep his voice from breaking and trembling with his anger,
"Now, evil, idle sons—sell the land!" He choked and would have fallen, and they caught him and held him up, and he began to weep.
Then they soothed him and they said, soothing him,
"No—no—we will never sell the land—"
"It is the end of a family—when they begin to sell the land," he said brokenly. "Out of the land we came and into it we must go—and if you will hold your land you can live—no one can rob you of land—"
And the old man let his scanty tears dry upon his cheeks and they made salty stains there. And he stooped and took up a handful of the soil and he held it and he muttered,
"If you sell the land, it is the end."
And his two sons held him, one on either side, each holding his arm, and he held tight in his hand the warm loose earth. And they soothed him and they said over and over, the elder son and the second son,
"Rest assured, our father, rest assured. The land is not to be sold."
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and smiled. (34.87-98)
Source:
https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/the-good-earth/analysis/ending
Hope this helps.
