Chapter 12 presents the difficulties which Wang Lung and his family have in adjusting to the new and different ways in this southern city. Among the difficulties is a language barrier. This city speaks in a dialect which makes it extremely difficult for Wang Lung to understand it. He feels alien here and will constantly long to return to his land.
Wang Lung gradually learns things about the city and becomes more adept with his ricksha but is still unable to earn money enough to begin saving. Everything must go for the necessity of food. Throughout these chapters, a contrast is shown between the very poor living among plentitude but not being able to share in it. The underlying feelings of discontent and revolution in the city begin to come to the forefront in this section and are finally climaxed by the looting of the rich man's house. The contrast between the gentry and the poor people of the city is emphasized by the contrast drawn between Wang Lung and the rich man: "He lived in the rich city as alien as a rat in a rich man's house that is fed on scraps thrown away."
When Wang Lung discovers that his children, especially the second son, have resorted to stealing, Wang Lung's desire to return to his land is intensified. He cannot tolerate the idea of a man who owns land having a son who has to steal. He does not eat of the meat that the second son steals and even considers selling his daughter. The irony is that while he beats his second son for stealing a piece of meat, he takes gold from the fat old man and is later delighted with the jewels which O-lan was able to steal from the secret hiding place in the rich man's house.
