Buck’s attention to the details of traditional, customary behavior informs the narrative regarding not only the expected, proper responses of Chinese citizens but also the manner in which one person—a societal superior, like an older relative or someone higher on the social scale—can control the behavior of another. For instance, Wang Lung’s unmarried, teenage female cousins behave in a manner unacceptable when they flirt with adult men. He fears that their actions will reflect badly on his family. He confronts his aunt about this, and the next day his uncle seeks him out. His uncle speaks in a circumspect fashion, failing to address the issue that concerns Wang Lung. Wang Lung, for once, speaks his mind, and his uncle slaps him. According to custom, Wang Lung must accept this punishment for having addressed his elder with honesty rather than deference.

These unspoken but universally recognized rules comprise a motif the author uses to help people who are not Chinese grasp the importance of politeness and respect that traditionally permeate interactions among Chinese citizens. Through the level of adherence to these social mores, Buck reveals important aspects of each character in the novel.