The Refugees by Pearl S Buck
Summary
The Refugees by Pearl S Buck was first published in 1933 within her collection “The First Wife and Other Stories”.
The Refugees is deeply rooted in the turbulent history of 1930s China, a decade marked by natural disasters and political instability that shaped the lives of millions. 1931 Yangtze River Floods was One of the deadliest natural disasters in history, the floods devastated vast rural areas, killing millions and displacing tens of millions. Crops and homes were destroyed, forcing mass migrations. The story’s premise—refugees fleeing “good land” ruined by rising rivers and broken dikes—directly echoes this real catastrophe that Pearl S. Buck witnessed firsthand.
The Refugees by Pearl S Buck tells the story of a group of farmers from a rural area in China who are forced to flee their homes after floods destroy their fields and leave them starving. These people, who once lived proudly on their fertile land, now walk silently through the streets of a big, modern city they’ve never seen before. The city is full of new things like cars and concrete sidewalks, but the refugees don’t notice. They’re too hungry and tired, carrying only their homemade blue quilts and empty iron pots, with no food to cook. Their faces show they’re close to giving up, but they keep moving, hoping to find safety.
The city is already crowded with thousands of other refugees, and the people who live there are angry and scared. They worry there won’t be enough food or money for everyone, so they mostly ignore the newcomers. Some even yell at refugees who beg or try to work cheap jobs, like pulling rickshaws. The refugees in this group stand out because they’re not just poor wanderers—they’re tall, strong, and dressed in traditional blue clothes with beautifully stitched aprons. They’re families who worked hard on their land until the floods took everything.
The story zooms in on an old man at the back of the group. He’s frail, gasping for breath, and struggling to carry two baskets on a pole across his shoulders. One basket holds a quilt and a pot, and the other has something hidden under a ragged blanket. He’s terrified of falling behind the others. Suddenly, he’s too weak to go on and collapses by the side of the street, barely able to breathe. A noodle vendor nearby is selling hot food, and a passerby notices the old man. Feeling sorry for him, the man gives him a small silver coin and a copper penny, saying, “Eat some noodles, old father.” The old man doesn’t want to take the money at first. He explains that his family had good land and never needed to beg before, but the river flooded, and they even ate the seeds they needed for planting because they were so hungry.
Instead of buying food for himself, the old man asks the vendor for a small bowl of noodles. The vendor is surprised, thinking the old man must be starving, but the old man reveals his secret: he’s carrying his young grandson in the other basket. The boy is so weak and sick that he looks almost dead. The old man gently feeds the noodles to the boy, who swallows them slowly, showing he’s still alive. The old man tells the vendor that the boy’s parents—his son and daughter-in-law—drowned when the flood broke the dikes while they were working on the land. Now, the grandson is all he has left.
Even though the old man is starving, he doesn’t eat any noodles himself. He carefully licks the empty bowl to get every last bit, as if it’s enough to keep him going. When the vendor points out that he still has the silver coin to buy more food, the old man shakes his head. He says the silver is for buying seeds to plant crops back on his land. He believes that even if he dies, the land must be ready for planting so his grandson or others can grow food in the future. With great effort, the old man picks up his baskets and stumbles forward, determined to keep going.
The story shows the old man’s love for his grandson and his hope for a better future, even when things seem hopeless. It also paints a picture of how hard life is for refugees, who are ignored or resented by others but still hold on to their pride and dreams. The old man’s choice to save the coin for seeds instead of food shows his strength and belief that the land will provide again, no matter what.
Story
They walked through the new capital, alone and from a far country, yes, although their own lands were only a few hundred miles perhaps from this very street upon which they now walked. But to them it was very far. Their eyes were the eyes of those who have been taken suddenly and by some unaccountable force from the world they have always known and always thought safe until this time. They, who had been accustomed only to country roads and fields, walked now along the proud street of the new capital, their feet treading upon the new concrete side-walk, and although the street was full of things they had never seen before, so that there were even automobiles and such things of which they had never even heard, still they looked at nothing, but passed as in a dream, seeing nothing.
There were several hundreds of them passing at this moment. If they did not look at anything nor at anyone, neither did any look at them. The city was full of refugees, many thousands of them, fed after a fashion, clothed somehow, sheltered in mats in great camps outside the city wall. At any hour of the day lines of ragged men and women and a few children could be seen making their way towards the camp, and if any city-dweller noticed them it was to think with increased bitterness:
‘More refugees– will there never be an end to them? We will all starve trying to feed them even a little.’
This bitterness, which is the bitterness of fear, made small shopkeepers bawl out rudely to the many beggars who came hourly to beg at the doors, and it made men ruthless in paying small fares to the rickshaw pullers, of which there were ten times as many as could be used, because the refugees were trying to earn something thus. Even the usual pullers of rickshaws, who followed this as their profession, cursed the refugees because, being starving they would pull for anything given them, and so fares were low for all, and all suffered. With the city full of refugees, then, begging at every door, swarming into every unskilled trade and service, lying dead on the streets at every frozen dawn, why should one look at this fresh horde coming in now at twilight of winter’s day?
But these were no common men and women, no riff-raff from some community, always poor and easily starving in a flood time. No, these were men and women of which any nation might have been proud. It could be seen they were all from one region, for they wore garments woven out of the same dark blue cotton stuff, plain and cut in an old-fashioned way, the sleeves long and the coats long and full. The men wore smocked aprons, the smocking done in curious, intricate, beautiful designs. The women had bands of the same plain blue stuff wrapped like kerchiefs about their heads. But men and women were tall and strong in frame, although the women’s feet were bound. There were a few lads in the throng, a few children sitting in baskets slung upon a pole across the shoulders of their fathers, but there were no young girls, no young infants. Every man and every lad bore a burden on his shoulder. This burden was always bedding, quilts made of the blue cotton stuff and padded. Clothing and bedding were clean and strongly made. On top of every folded quilt, with a bit of mat between, was an iron cauldron. These cauldrons had doubtless been taken from the earthen ovens of the village when the people saw the time had come when they must move. But in no basket was there a vestige of food, nor was there a trace of food having been cooked in them recently.
This lack of food was confirmed when one looked closely into the faces of the people. In the first glance in the twilight they seemed well enough, but when one looked more closely, one saw they were the faces of people starving and moving now in despair to a last hope. They saw nothing of the strange sights of a new city because they were too near death to see anything. No new sight could move their curiosity. They were men and women who had stayed by their land until starvation drove them forth. Thus, they passed unseeing, silent, alien, as those who know themselves dying are alien, to the living.
The last one of this long procession of silent men and women was a little wizened old man. Even he carried a load of a folded quilt, a cauldron. But there was only one cauldron. In the other basket it seemed there was but a quilt, extremely ragged and patched, but clean still. Although the load was light it was too much for the old man. It was evident that in usual times he would be beyond the age of work, and was perhaps unaccustomed to such labour in recent years. His breath whistled as he staggered along, and he strained his eyes to watch those who were ahead of him lest he should be left behind, and his old wrinkled face was set in a sort of gasping agony.
Suddenly he could go no more. He set his burden with great gentleness, sank upon the ground, his head sunk between his knees, his eyes closed, panting desperately. Starved as he was, a little blood rose in dark patches on his cheeks. A ragged vendor selling hot noodles set his stand near, and shouted his trade cry, and the light from the stand fell on the old man’s drooping figure. A man passing stopped and muttered, looking at him:
‘I swear I can give no more this day if I am to feed my own even nothing but noodles but here is this old man. Well, I will give him the bit of silver I earned today against tomorrow and trust to tomorrow again. If my own old father had been alive, I would have given it to him.’
He fumbled and brought out of his ragged girdle a bit of a silver coin, and after a moment’s hesitation and muttering, he added to it a copper penny.
“There, old father,” he said with a sort of bitter heartiness, “let me see you eat noodles.’
The old man lifted his head slowly. When he saw the silver, he would not put out his hand. He said:
‘Sir, I did not beg of you. Sir, we have good land and we have never been starving like this before, having such good land. But this year the river rose and men starve even on good land, at such times; Sir, we have no seed left, even. We have eaten our seed. I told them, we cannot eat the seed. But they were young; and hungry and they ate it.
“Take it,” said the man, and he dropped the money into the old man’s smocked apron and went on his way, sighing.
The vendor prepared his bowl of noodles and called out:
‘How many will you eat, old man?’
Then was the old man stirred. He felt eagerly in his apron and when he saw the two coins there, the one copper and the other silver, he said:
‘One small bowl is enough.’
‘Can you eat only one small bowl, then?’ asked the vendor, astonished.
‘It is not for me,’ the old man answered.
The vendor started astonished, but being a simple man he said no more but prepared the bowl, and when it was finished, he called out. “Here it is.” And he waited to see who would eat it.
Then the old man rose with a great effort and took the bowl between his shaking hands and he went to the other basket. There, while the vendor watched, the old man pulled aside the quilt until one could see the shrunken face of a small boy lying with his eyes fast closed. One would have said the child was dead except that when the old man lifted his head so his mouth could touch the edge of the little bowl he began to swallow feebly until the hot mixture was finished. The old man kept murmuring to him:
‘There, my heart – there, my child.’
‘Your grandson?’ said the vendor.
‘Yes,’ said the old man. ‘The son of my only son. Both my son and his wife were drowned as they worked on our land when the dikes broke.’
He covered the child tenderly and then, squatting on his haunches, he ran his tongue carefully around the little bowl and removed the last trace of food. Then, as though he had been fed, he handed the bowl back to the vendor.
‘But you have the silver bit,’ cried the ragged vendor, yet more astonished when he saw the old man ordered no more.
The old man shook his head. ‘That is for seed,’ he replied. ‘As soon as I saw it, I knew I would buy seed with it. They ate up all the seed and with what shall the land be sown again?’
‘If I were not so poor myself,’ said the vendor, ‘I might even have given you a bowl, but to give something to a man who has a bit of silver!’ he shook his head puzzled.
‘I do not ask you, brother,’ said the old man. ‘Well, I know you cannot understand. But if you had land you would know, it must be put to seed again or there will be starvation yet another year. The best I can do for this grandson of mine is to buy a little seed for the land. Yes, even though I die, and others must plant it, the land must be put to seed.’
He took up his load again, his old legs trembling, and straining his eyes down the long straight street, he staggered on.
Word Meaning
| Word | English Meaning | Hindi Meaning |
| Unaccountable | Unable to be explained or understood. | अस्पष्ट कारण वाला |
| Accustomed | Used to or familiar with something through regular experience. | अभ्यस्त |
| Alien | Strange, unfamiliar, or not belonging to a place or group. | अजनबी |
| Tread | To walk or step on something. | पैर रखना |
| Curiosity | A desire to know or learn something new. | जिज्ञासा |
| Throng | A large, crowded group of people. | भीड़ |
| Horde | A large group or crowd, often moving together. | झुंड |
| Sheltered | Protected or provided with a place to stay. | संरक्षित |
| Mats | Simple coverings or shelters made of woven material, often used for sleeping. | चटाई |
| Bitterness | A feeling of resentment, anger, or disappointment. | कड़वाहट |
| Bawl | To shout or cry loudly, often in anger or distress. | चिल्लाना |
| Ruthless | Cruel or without mercy, showing no pity. | निर्मम |
| Rickshaw | A two-wheeled vehicle pulled by a person, used for transport. | हाथगाड़ी |
| Swarm | To move or gather in large numbers, often chaotically. | भीड़ लगाना |
| Twilight | The time of day just after sunset, when it’s partly dark. | संध्या |
| Riff-raff | Undesirable or disreputable people, often seen as worthless. | निकम्मे लोग |
| Apron | A garment worn over clothes to protect them, often tied around the waist. | चोगा |
| Smocked | Decorated with a pattern of gathered stitches, often on clothing. | सिलाई से सजा हुआ |
| Intricate | Very detailed or complicated in design or structure. | जटिल |
| Kerchief | A piece of cloth worn over the head or around the neck. | सिर का कपड़ा |
| Bound | Tied or restricted, often referring to feet (e.g., foot-binding in China). | बंधा हुआ |
| Burden | A heavy load or responsibility. | बोझ |
| Quilt | A thick blanket made by stitching layers of fabric together, often filled with padding. | रजाई |
| Padded | Filled with soft material for comfort or protection. | गद्देदार |
| Cauldron | A large metal pot used for cooking over a fire. | हांडी |
| Vestige | A small trace or remnant of something that no longer exists. | अवशेष |
| Confirmed | Established as true or certain, often by evidence. | पुष्ट |
| Despair | A complete loss of hope or confidence. | निराशा |
| Starve | To suffer or die from lack of food. | भूख से मरना |
| Procession | A group of people moving together in an orderly way, often in a line. | जुलूस |
| Wizened | Shriveled or wrinkled, often due to age or hardship. | झुर्रीदार |
| Ragged | Worn-out, torn, or in poor condition (e.g., clothes). | फटा-पुराना |
| Pant | To breathe quickly and heavily, often due to exhaustion. | हांफना |
| Vendor | A Person who sells goods, often on the street. | विक्रेता |
| Drooping | Hanging down or sagging, often due to weakness. | लटकता हुआ |
| Fumble | To handle something clumsily or nervously, often searching for it. | टटोलना |
| Girdle | A belt or cord worn around the waist. | कमरबंद |
| Resentment | Bitter or angry feelings caused by unfair treatment. | नाराजगी |
| Muttered | Spoken or said in a low, quiet voice, often with reluctance. | बुदबुदाना |
| Evident | Clear or obvious to see or understand. | स्पष्ट |
| Stagger | To walk unsteadily, as if about to fall, often due to weakness. | लड़खड़ाना |
| Dike | A wall or embankment built to prevent flooding. | बांध |
| Feeble | Weak or lacking strength, often physically. | कमजोर |
| Murmur | To speak or say something softly or quietly. | बड़बड़ाना |
| Shrunken | Reduced in size or shriveled, often due to hardship. | सिकुड़ा हुआ |
| Astonished | Greatly surprised or amazed. | आश्चर्यचकित |
| Puzzled | Confused or unable to understand something. | उलझन में |
| Heartiness | Cheerfulness or enthusiasm, often forced or strained. | उत्साह |
| Whence | From where or from which place. | जहां से |
| Patched | Repaired with pieces of material, often on clothing. | टांका हुआ |
| Haunches | The hips and thighs, often used to describe a squatting position. | कूल्हे |
| Tenderly | With gentleness, care, or affection. | कोमलता से |
| Strain | To make a great effort or stretch to the limit, often physically or mentally. | जोर लगाना |
Characters
The Old Man
The old man is an elderly farmer, the last in the refugee procession, and grandfather to the young boy he carries.
He is frail yet determined, selfless, hopeful, and proud. He refuses to beg, maintaining his dignity despite hardship.
He carries heavy loads including quilts, a pot, and his grandson hidden in a basket. When given money, he buys noodles for his grandson, not himself, and saves a silver coin to buy seeds for planting.
The old man symbolizes resilience, sacrifice, and hope for the future. His love for family and land drives his actions.
A key moment is when he feeds his grandson and says, “That is for seed… The land must be put to seed.” — showing his focus on renewal.
The Grandson
The grandson is the old man’s young grandson, son of his deceased son and daughter-in-law, hidden under a quilt.
He is weak, starving, nearly lifeless, symbolizing vulnerability and the fragility of life.
He feebly swallows the noodles fed by his grandfather, showing a faint will to live.
The grandson represents the future generation and the reason behind the old man’s sacrifices.
A key moment is when “he began to swallow feebly until the hot mixture was finished,” a sign of life and hope.
The Passerby
The passerby is a city man who sees the old man collapse and offers money for noodles.
He is compassionate but cautious, poor himself, torn between helping others and caring for his own family.
He gives the old man coins hesitantly, expressing empathy mixed with practical concerns.
The passerby reflects small acts of kindness amid urban hardship and illustrates the complexity of human compassion.
A key moment is when he gives money with “bitter heartiness,” saying, “Let me see you eat noodles.”
The Noodle Vendor
The noodle vendor is a poor street vendor selling noodles near the old man.
He is simple, hardworking, curious but puzzled by the refugees’ ways.
He prepares and sells noodles, watches the old man feed his grandson, and questions the old man’s choices.
The vendor embodies the working city class caught between survival and sympathy, highlighting the disconnect between urban and rural experiences.
A key moment is when he asks, “Can you eat only one small bowl, then?” and expresses confusion over saving money for seeds.
The Refugees (as a Group)
The refugees are hundreds of rural farmers displaced by floods, traveling silently through the city.
They are proud, strong, dignified, yet starving and despairing, identified by traditional blue clothing and intricate designs.
They move silently and dreamlike, ignoring the strange city sights, carrying only basic possessions.
They represent rural suffering, resilience, and alienation amidst urban indifference.
A key moment is when they pass “as in a dream, seeing nothing,” emphasizing their disconnection and hopelessness.
Pearl S. Buck
Early Life and Connection to China
Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (1892–1973) was an acclaimed American author and humanitarian, known for her deep connection to China and her influential literary works.
Born in West Virginia, she spent much of her childhood and early adulthood in China, where her parents were Christian missionaries.
After completing her education at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, she returned to China as a missionary.
In 1917, Pearl married Lossing Buck, a Cornell graduate also working in China. They later divorced in 1935, and she married her publisher Richard Walsh.
Fluent in Chinese and educated both in Western literature and Confucian classics, she witnessed poverty, social upheavals, and natural disasters such as the devastating 1931 Yangtze River floods.
These experiences deeply influenced her writing, including The Refugees, which depicts the struggles of farmers displaced by flooding.
Literary Career
Buck began publishing in the 1920s, achieving major success with The Good Earth (1931), which won the Pulitzer Prize and became a bestseller, shaping Western views of China.
Her short stories, including The Refugees, highlight human emotions, resilience, and social issues through compact narratives.
She authored over 70 books, addressing themes of cross-cultural understanding, displacement, and social justice.
In 1938, she became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for her “rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China.”
Pearl S. Buck’s Chinese name was Sai Zhēnzhū. Pearl S. Buck used the pen name John Sedges for some of her works, particularly novels set in America, to distinguish them from her China-focused writing.
Key Contributions and Advocacy
Beyond literature, Buck was a cultural bridge who introduced Chinese life to Western audiences, challenging stereotypes and promoting social justice.
She founded organizations like the East and West Association and Welcome House, the first international interracial adoption agency.
She also advocated for African-American civil rights, women’s rights, and children with special needs, inspired by her personal and cultural experiences.
Themes in Her Work
East-West cultural understanding and bridging differences.
Social justice and humanitarian concerns.
The dignity and resilience of common people.
The impact of war, poverty, and political upheaval on families.
Later Life and Legacy
After returning permanently to the U.S. in 1934, Buck continued writing and humanitarian work.
She died in 1973 in Vermont. Her legacy lives on through her influential books, which remain widely read and studied, and through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation (now Pearl S. Buck International), which supports children and families in need worldwide.
Her work’s themes resonate strongly in Asia, including India, reflecting universal experiences of rural hardship, migration, and survival.
Themes
Resilience in Hardship
The story shows how people can stay strong even in terrible times. The refugees, especially the old man, face starvation and displacement but keep going. Despite his weak body and gasping breath, the old man carries heavy baskets and walks through the city, determined to reach safety. His choice to save a silver coin for seeds instead of buying food for himself shows his hope for a better future. This resilience reflects the strength of rural people who refuse to give up, even when life is cruel.
Example: The old man staggers on after collapsing, saying, “That is for seed… The land must be put to seed,” showing his unbreakable spirit.
Sacrifice for Family
Love for family drives the characters to put others before themselves. The old man sacrifices his own hunger to feed his sick grandson noodles, ensuring the boy has a chance to live. He also saves money for seeds to secure his grandson’s future, even if he might die. This theme highlights the deep bonds that keep families together in crises, showing how love can outweigh personal suffering.
Example: The old man feeds his grandson the noodles and licks the empty bowl himself, murmuring, “There, my heart—there, my child.”
Alienation and Indifference
The refugees feel out of place in the busy city, and the city people mostly ignore them. The refugees walk silently, not looking at the cars or shops, as if in a dream, while city-dwellers resent them, fearing there won’t be enough food. This divide shows how displaced people can feel invisible and how fear makes others cold. The story critiques this lack of empathy in tough times.
Example: The text says, “If they did not look at anything nor at anyone, neither did any look at them,” highlighting the mutual disconnection.
Hope for Renewal
Despite despair, the story emphasizes hope for a fresh start. The old man’s plan to buy seeds represents his belief that the land can grow again, even after floods. This hope ties to the cycle of farming, where new crops bring life after hardship. It’s a powerful idea that even in the worst moments, people can dream of rebuilding.
Example: The old man says, “As soon as I saw it, I knew I would buy seed with it,” showing his focus on restoring his land.
Dignity in Poverty
The refugees are poor and starving but hold onto their pride. They’re described as “no common men and women” but strong, tall people with beautifully made clothes, not “riff-raff.” The old man refuses to beg, saying his family had good land and never faced such hunger before. This theme shows that even in extreme poverty, people can maintain their self-respect and identity.
Example: The refugees’ “garments woven out of the same dark blue cotton stuff” and “smocked aprons” show their care for tradition, despite having nothing.
Style
Pearl S. Buck’s style in The Refugees is simple yet powerful, blending vivid descriptions, emotional depth, and a focus on human struggles. Her writing draws readers into the world of Chinese refugees with clarity and empathy, making their pain and hope feel real. Below are the key elements of her style in the story.
1. Clear and Descriptive Language
Buck uses straightforward words to paint detailed pictures of the setting and characters. She describes the refugees’ appearance, like their “dark blue cotton stuff” and “smocked aprons” with “intricate, beautiful designs,” making their rural identity vivid. The city’s “proud street” and “new concrete side-walk” contrast with the refugees’ worn-out state, showing their alienation. Her descriptions are precise but not fancy, ensuring readers of all levels can visualize the scene.
Example: “They walked now along the proud street of the new capital, their feet treading upon the new concrete side-walk,” sets a clear urban scene that feels unfamiliar to the refugees.
2. Emotional and Empathetic Tone
The tone is serious and heartfelt, reflecting the refugees’ suffering and dignity. Buck writes with deep care for her characters, making readers feel their hunger and hope. She avoids melodrama, letting small actions—like the old man feeding his grandson—carry big emotions. This empathy connects to her life in China, where she saw such struggles firsthand, and invites readers to care about the characters.
Example: The old man’s words, “There, my heart—there, my child,” as he feeds his grandson, convey love and sacrifice in a quiet, moving way.
3. Omniscient Narration
Buck uses a third-person omniscient narrator, meaning the story is told from an all-knowing perspective that sees into the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters. This lets her shift between the refugees’ collective experience, the old man’s personal struggle, and the city-dwellers’ bitterness. It creates a broad view of the crisis, showing both the refugees’ isolation and the city’s indifference.
Example: The narrator notes, “If they did not look at anything nor at anyone, neither did any look at them,” revealing both the refugees’ disconnection and the city’s apathy.
4. Symbolism and Imagery
Buck uses symbols and images to deepen the story’s meaning. The empty cauldrons carried by the refugees symbolize their lost homes and hunger, while the silver coin for seeds represents hope for renewal. Vivid imagery, like the “wizened old man” with a “gasping agony” or the “shrunken face” of the grandson, makes the physical toll of starvation striking. These elements add layers to the story without needing complex words.
Example: The “iron cauldron” on every quilt, with “no vestige of food,” powerfully shows the refugees’ desperate situation.
5. Realistic Dialogue
The dialogue is sparse but feels natural, reflecting the characters’ simple, rural speech. The old man’s words, like “Sir, I did not beg of you,” show his pride and dignity, while the vendor’s questions, “Can you eat only one small bowl, then?” reveal his confusion. Buck keeps conversations short and direct, mirroring the characters’ exhaustion and focus on survival.
Example: The old man’s explanation, “We have eaten our seed… with what shall the land be sown again?” captures his practical yet hopeful mindset.
6. Contrasts and Juxtaposition
Buck highlights differences to emphasize the story’s themes. The refugees’ traditional blue clothes and silence contrast with the city’s modern streets and noise, underscoring their alienation. The old man’s frail body contrasts with his strong will, showing resilience. These contrasts make the refugees’ struggles stand out against the city’s indifference.
Example: The refugees “passed as in a dream, seeing nothing” while walking on a street “full of things they had never seen before,” like cars, highlights their emotional and cultural distance.
7. Compact and Focused Structure
The story is short but tightly structured, moving from a broad view of the refugees to a close focus on the old man’s personal story. Buck starts with the group’s procession, zooms in on the old man’s collapse and interaction with the vendor, and ends with his determined march forward. This structure builds empathy quickly, making the story feel complete despite its brevity.
Example: The shift from “several hundreds of them passing” to “the last one… a little wizened old man” narrows the focus, drawing readers into his struggle.
Symbolism
Pearl S. Buck uses symbols in The Refugees to add depth to the story, turning simple objects and actions into powerful representations of the characters’ struggles and hopes. These symbols reflect the refugees’ rural life and the challenges of displacement, making the story’s themes feel vivid and universal. Below are the five key symbols and their meanings.
1. The Iron Cauldron
The iron cauldrons carried by the refugees symbolize their lost homes and desperate hunger. These pots, once used to cook family meals in their village, are now empty, with “no vestige of food” or trace of recent cooking. They represent the life the refugees left behind when floods destroyed their land, highlighting their loss and the emptiness of their current state. The cauldron’s weight also shows the burden of carrying memories of better times while facing starvation.
Example: “On top of every folded quilt… was an iron cauldron,” carried despite having no food, shows the refugees’ attachment to their past.
2. The Silver Coin (Seed)
The silver coin the old man saves to buy seeds is a powerful symbol of hope and renewal. Instead of using it for food to ease his hunger, he plans to buy seeds to replant his land, believing in a future where crops can grow again. This choice reflects the cycle of farming—planting after disaster—and the old man’s faith in life continuing through his grandson. It connects to resilience and sacrifice, especially in India, where farming communities often rebuild after floods.
Example: The old man says, “That is for seed… The land must be put to seed,” showing his hope for rebirth despite his own suffering.
3. The Blue Cotton Clothes
The refugees’ “dark blue cotton stuff” garments, with “smocked aprons” and “kerchiefs,” symbolize their dignity and cultural identity. These traditional, carefully made clothes contrast with their starvation and the city’s modern streets, showing they are proud farmers, not “riff-raff.” The clothes tie them to their rural roots, preserving their sense of self even in poverty. This symbol underscores the theme of dignity, resonating with Indian rural communities who maintain traditions despite hardship.
Example: “They wore garments woven out of the same dark blue cotton stuff… smocking done in curious, intricate, beautiful designs,” highlights their pride and heritage.
4. The Empty Baskets
The baskets carried by the refugees, holding quilts and cauldrons but no food, symbolize their loss and survival. They carry only the bare essentials, showing how the floods stripped away everything else—homes, crops, and security. The old man’s basket hiding his grandson adds a layer of protection and sacrifice, as he carries the boy’s life itself. The emptiness reflects alienation, as the refugees have nothing to offer the city and feel out of place.
Example: “In no basket was there a vestige of food,” emphasizes their complete destitution as they enter the city.
5. The City’s Concrete Sidewalk
The “new concrete side-walk” of the city symbolizes modernity and the urban-rural divide. It’s part of the “proud street” with cars and shops, a world alien to the refugees, who are used to “country roads and fields.” The hard, unnatural surface contrasts with the soft earth of their farms, highlighting their disconnection from the city and its indifference to their plight. This symbol reinforces the theme of alienation, a feeling familiar in India where rural migrants often struggle in urban areas.
Example: “Their feet treading upon the new concrete side-walk” while they see “nothing” shows their estrangement from the city’s progress.
The Refugees by Pearl S Buck Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
Where do the refugees come from?
A far country, a few hundred miles away.
What forces the refugees to leave their homes?
Floods and starvation.
What do the refugees carry on their shoulders?
Quilts and iron cauldrons.
How do the city-dwellers feel about the refugees?
Bitter and resentful.
What job do some refugees try to do in the city?
Pull rickshaws.
What are the refugees’ clothes made of?
Dark blue cotton.
What do the women wear on their heads?
Blue kerchiefs.
Why are there no young girls among the refugees?
The text doesn’t say.
What does the old man carry in his baskets?
A quilt, a cauldron, and his grandson.
Why does the old man collapse?
He’s weak from hunger and exhaustion.
Who gives the old man money?
A passerby.
What does the old man buy with the money?
A bowl of noodles.
Who eats the noodles?
The old man’s grandson.
What does the old man save the silver coin for?
To buy seeds.
What happened to the old man’s son and daughter-in-law?
They drowned in the floods.
What symbolizes hope in the story?
The silver coin for seeds.
What does the concrete sidewalk represent?
The city’s modernity and alienation.
What is the story’s main theme?
Resilience in hardship.
How does Buck describe the refugees’ faces?
Starving and near death.
What is the tone of the story?
Serious and empathetic.
Short Answer Questions
Why are the refugees described as “alien” in the city?
The refugees are called “alien” because they feel out of place in the modern city, far from their rural homes. They’re used to fields and country roads, not concrete sidewalks and cars, which makes the city strange to them. Their silence and blank stares show they’re too starved and hopeless to notice their surroundings. The city-dwellers’ indifference, ignoring the refugees, deepens this sense of disconnection. Buck uses “alien” to highlight their emotional and cultural isolation, a feeling many migrants in India’s urban areas also experience.
How does the old man show his resilience in the story?
The old man’s resilience shines through his determination despite his frail body and starvation. He carries heavy baskets with a quilt, cauldron, and his grandson, even when he’s gasping and collapses from exhaustion. Instead of eating the noodles himself, he feeds his grandson, showing strength in sacrifice. He saves a silver coin for seeds, planning for his land’s future. This stubborn hope, seen in his staggering forward at the end, reflects the toughness of rural farmers, like those in India facing floods.
What role does the passerby play in the story?
The passerby is a minor but important character who shows a flicker of kindness in a harsh city. Seeing the old man collapsed, he gives a silver coin and a copper penny for noodles, despite being poor himself. His hesitation and “bitter heartiness” reveal his struggle to help while worrying about his own family. He represents the small acts of compassion that can break through indifference, a theme relevant in India’s crowded cities. His brief role contrasts the city’s resentment, highlighting human empathy.
How does Buck use the cauldron as a symbol?
The iron cauldron, carried by each refugee, symbolizes their lost homes and desperate hunger. Once used to cook family meals, the cauldrons are now empty, with “no vestige of food,” showing the refugees’ loss after the floods. Their weight represents the burden of carrying memories of better times. Buck uses this symbol to emphasize the theme of loss, making the refugees’ poverty vivid. In India, where rural families rely on cooking vessels, this image of emptiness resonates deeply.
What does the old man’s decision to save the silver coin reveal about him?
The old man’s choice to save the silver coin for seeds, not food, reveals his hope and selflessness. Starving and weak, he prioritizes his land’s future over his own survival, believing crops can grow again. This decision shows his love for his grandson, wanting him to inherit a better life. It also reflects his farmer’s mindset, tied to the land’s cycles, a value shared in India’s farming communities. His words, “The land must be put to seed,” underscore his enduring faith.
How does the story portray the city-dwellers’ attitude toward the refugees?
The city-dwellers are bitter and resentful, seeing the refugees as a burden. Overwhelmed by thousands of newcomers, they fear starvation and curse the refugees for taking jobs like rickshaw pulling. Shopkeepers yell at beggars, and people pay low fares, showing ruthlessness. Buck notes their bitterness as “the bitterness of fear,” highlighting how scarcity breeds indifference. This attitude, seen in “neither did any look at them,” mirrors challenges in India’s urban areas, where migrants often face hostility.
What is the significance of the refugees’ blue cotton clothes?
The refugees’ blue cotton clothes, with “smocked aprons” and “kerchiefs,” symbolize their dignity and rural identity. These traditional, intricately made garments show they’re proud farmers, not “riff-raff,” despite their poverty. The clothes contrast with the city’s modern streets, emphasizing their alienation. Buck uses them to highlight the theme of dignity in hardship, a pride familiar in India’s rural communities. Their description as “clean and strongly made” reflects the refugees’ care for their heritage.
How does Buck’s tone contribute to the story’s impact?
Buck’s tone is serious and empathetic, making the refugees’ suffering feel real and urgent. She describes their starvation and silence with care, avoiding exaggeration, which draws readers into their pain. The tone shifts slightly to hopeful when the old man speaks of seeds, reflecting resilience. This balance keeps the story moving without being overly sad. In India, where stories of rural struggle are common, this tone connects emotionally, making readers care about the characters.
Why is the grandson’s presence important to the old man’s actions?
The grandson is the old man’s reason for living and sacrificing. Hidden in a basket, the sick boy represents the future, motivating the old man to feed him noodles instead of eating himself. Saving the silver coin for seeds is for the boy’s eventual return to the land. The grandson’s survival, after his parents drowned, gives the old man purpose, tying to the theme of family. This bond, central in Indian culture, makes the old man’s actions deeply relatable.
How does the story use contrast to highlight its themes?
Buck uses contrast to emphasize the refugees’ struggles and resilience. The refugees’ traditional blue clothes and silence contrast with the city’s modern concrete sidewalks and noise, showing alienation. The old man’s frail body contrasts with his strong will to save seeds, highlighting sacrifice. The city-dwellers’ bitterness contrasts with the passerby’s kindness, revealing flickers of hope. These contrasts, like rural-urban divides in India, make the themes of loss and strength stand out clearly.
Long answer questions
1. Is The Refugees a didactic story? What message does it convey?
The Refugees is a didactic story, as it subtly teaches moral lessons through its narrative, a common trait in Pearl S. Buck’s work. The story urges readers to value resilience, sacrifice, and empathy by showing the refugees’ struggles and dignity. The old man’s decision to save a silver coin for seeds, saying, “The land must be put to seed,” teaches the importance of hope and long-term thinking over immediate relief. His feeding his grandson noodles while starving himself highlights selflessness, encouraging readers to prioritize loved ones. In India, where rural families often rebuild after floods, this message of enduring hardship with purpose resonates deeply.
Buck also critiques societal indifference, as the city-dwellers’ “bitterness of fear” shows how scarcity can erode compassion. The refugees’ “intricate, beautiful” smocked aprons symbolize their worth, teaching that poverty doesn’t diminish humanity. The empathetic tone and vivid symbols, like empty cauldrons, make these lessons impactful without being heavy-handed. Drawing from her life in China, Buck crafts a universal message: even in despair, hope and kindness can shine. This is especially relevant in India, where urban-rural divides mirror the story’s dynamics, urging readers to support displaced communities. The Refugees thus conveys a powerful call to empathy and perseverance.
2. Could one call the old refugee man a beggar? Comment.
The old refugee man cannot be labeled a beggar, as he fiercely maintains his dignity and rejects charity, despite his desperate situation. When the passerby gives him money, he insists, “Sir, I did not beg of you,” highlighting his pride as a farmer with “good land” before the floods. Unlike a beggar, who might rely on handouts, he carries heavy baskets and saves a coin for seeds, showing a desire for self-reliance. His “clean and strongly made” clothing, part of the refugees’ traditional attire, further distances him from the beggar stereotype. In India, where rural farmers often resist dependency despite poverty, his stance is relatable, reflecting a shared value of self-respect.
However, the city’s harsh view of refugees as burdens and the passerby’s pity might lead some to mistakenly see him as a beggar. Buck uses this tension to challenge stereotypes, showing that his plight stems from disaster, not character flaws. His actions—feeding his grandson and planning for the land’s future—prove he’s a survivor, not a beggar. This distinction underscores the theme of dignity, urging readers to look beyond appearances. The old man’s resilience, like that of many Indian farmers facing crises, makes him a figure of strength, not shame, emphasizing Buck’s message of human worth.
3. ‘These were men and women of which any nation might have been proud,’ says the narrator about the refugees. Why?
The narrator’s claim that the refugees are “men and women of which any nation might have been proud” reflects their admirable qualities of dignity, strength, and cultural pride. Despite starvation, they are “tall and strong in frame,” suggesting a history of hard work on their land, a trait valued in any society. Their “dark blue cotton” clothes, with “intricate, beautiful” smocked aprons, showcase their craftsmanship and care for tradition, marking them as a cohesive community, not “riff-raff.” In India, where farmers are seen as the nation’s backbone, their pride mirrors the respect for rural labor. Their unity, moving together from one region, reflects a collective spirit that any nation would cherish.
The refugees’ resilience, staying on their land until starvation forced them out, and their refusal to beg, show perseverance and self-respect, universal virtues. Carrying quilts and cauldrons, they cling to their identity, undeterred by loss. Buck contrasts their worth with the city’s indifference, critiquing how society overlooks such people. This portrayal resonates in India, where rural communities maintain dignity amid hardship. The narrator’s statement celebrates the refugees’ inherent value, urging readers to recognize the pride in marginalized groups. Their qualities make them a source of national honor, even if unseen by the city.
4. Describe the physical and mental condition of the refugees in the new capital.
Physically, the refugees in the new capital are severely weakened by starvation and exhaustion, despite their strong builds. Described as “tall and strong in frame,” their potential is overshadowed by hunger, with faces showing they are “starving and moving now in despair.” The old man’s “wizened” body and “gasping agony” as he collapses exemplify their frailty, his baskets weighing him down. Their cauldrons and baskets hold no food, and their “ragged” quilts indicate scarce resources. In India, where floods devastate rural areas, this image of physical decline is starkly familiar, evoking sympathy for displaced farmers.
Mentally, the refugees are numb and hopeless, their minds dulled by suffering. They walk “as in a dream, seeing nothing” of the city’s cars and shops, too close to death to feel curiosity. Their silence and “alien” demeanor suggest emotional detachment, as if they’ve lost connection to the living world. The old man’s focus on seeds shows a faint hope, but it’s born of desperation. Buck’s vivid details, like “faces of people starving,” highlight their mental despair, reinforcing the theme of alienation. This condition mirrors the struggles of Indian migrants in urban settings, making the refugees’ plight universally poignant.
5. What are the most important concerns of the old starved man, and how does he show them in his behaviour?
The old starved man’s primary concerns are ensuring his grandson’s survival and securing the future of his flood-ravaged land, reflecting his selflessness and hope. His love for his grandson drives him to feed the boy noodles, despite his own hunger, gently saying, “There, my heart—there, my child.” He saves a silver coin for seeds, declaring, “The land must be put to seed,” showing his belief in the land’s renewal for his grandson’s sake. These concerns reveal a farmer’s deep tie to family and land, values cherished in India’s rural communities. His actions—carrying his grandson in a basket and planning for crops—demonstrate unwavering commitment, even at the cost of his life.
His behavior further shows these concerns through resilience and dignity. Despite collapsing from weakness, he staggers forward, straining to keep up with the refugees. He refuses to beg, stating, “Sir, I did not beg of you,” preserving his pride as a farmer. Licking the empty noodle bowl, he maximizes every resource for survival. In India, where elders often sacrifice for family, his actions are deeply relatable. Buck uses his behavior to embody sacrifice and resilience, making him a symbol of hope amid despair, tying his personal struggle to the broader refugee experience.
Critical Analysis
Introduction
Pearl S. Buck’s The Refugees, published in The First Wife and Other Stories (1933), is a poignant short story capturing the resilience and despair of Chinese farmers displaced by flooding. Drawing on Buck’s decades in China, the story reflects her deep empathy for rural communities and her mastery in portraying universal human struggles. Set in an unnamed Chinese city, it follows a group of refugees, focusing particularly on an old man’s sacrifice for his grandson. The vivid imagery and emotional depth make it a powerful exploration of dignity, hope, and alienation—themes that strongly resonate in India, where rural displacement remains a pressing issue.
Plot Summary
The Refugees depicts a group of rural Chinese farmers entering a modern city after floods devastate their lands, forcing them to flee starvation. The refugees, carrying quilts and empty cauldrons, walk silently through the city’s concrete streets, ignored by resentful city-dwellers overwhelmed by newcomers. The narrative zooms in on an old man, frail and struggling with his baskets, who collapses from exhaustion. A passerby gives him a silver coin and a copper penny, which he uses to buy noodles, not for himself but for his hidden, sickly grandson, the son of his drowned son and daughter-in-law. Saving the silver coin for seeds to replant his land, the old man staggers on, embodying hope and sacrifice. The story concludes with his determined march, underscoring the refugees’ resilience amid despair.
Themes
Resilience in Hardship: The old man’s persistence and saving of seed despite starvation symbolize strength admired in farming communities worldwide, including India.
Sacrifice for Family: The old man feeds his grandson first and saves resources for future planting, reflecting universal family bonds.
Alienation and Indifference: The refugees’ silence contrasts with the city dwellers’ bitterness, mirroring urban-rural divides familiar in India.
Hope and Renewal: Seeds symbolize rebirth after disaster, anchoring the story’s optimism.
Dignity in Poverty: The refugees’ proud appearance and refusal to beg emphasize their inherent worth despite suffering.
Characters
The Old Man: Frail yet resilient, he sacrifices to feed his grandson and save seed, embodying hope and dignity.
The Grandson: A sickly boy hidden in a basket, representing the future and the old man’s motivation.
The Passerby: A poor city man who gives money with “bitter heartiness,” showing fleeting kindness amid hardship.
The Noodle Vendor: Curious and confused, he highlights the urban-rural gap by questioning the old man’s choices.
The Refugees (Group): Proud and tall in blue cotton, symbolizing rural strength and alienation, their silence contrasts with the city’s noise.
Structure and Style
The story moves from a broad procession of refugees to an intimate focus on the old man’s sacrifice. Buck’s clear, descriptive style uses vivid imagery and a serious, empathetic tone to balance despair with hope. An omniscient narrator shifts perspectives between refugees’ numbness and city resentment, enhancing the theme of alienation. Symbols like empty cauldrons and the silver coin add depth, while contrasts between rural garments and urban streets highlight disconnection. Sparse, realistic dialogue grounds the story in authenticity, making it accessible and profound, especially to readers familiar with rural struggles.
Historical Context
The Refugees is deeply rooted in the turbulent history of 1930s China, a decade marked by natural disasters and political instability that shaped the lives of millions. 1931 Yangtze River Floods was One of the deadliest natural disasters in history, the floods devastated vast rural areas, killing millions and displacing tens of millions. Crops and homes were destroyed, forcing mass migrations. The story’s premise—refugees fleeing “good land” ruined by rising rivers and broken dikes—directly echoes this real catastrophe that Pearl S. Buck witnessed firsthand.
Critical Commentary
Critics acclaim The Refugees for emotional depth and social insight, praising Buck’s humanization of Chinese peasants and vivid symbolism. The old man’s sacrifice is widely seen as a universal symbol of hope. Some reviewers, like The New York Times in 1938, caution against idealizing poverty, noting a tendency toward romanticization. Feminist readings highlight the quiet strength of female refugees, aligning with Buck’s advocacy for women. Postcolonial scholars recognize the story as bridging East and West but debate its outsider perspective. Overall, the story is celebrated for its concise critique of societal indifference and its affirmation of human endurance.
Conclusion
The Refugees remains a timeless meditation on human strength, sacrifice, and dignity. Its themes resonate cross-culturally, particularly in India where rural hardship and displacement continue. Buck’s lucid style, rich symbolism, and empathetic portrayal create a moving snapshot of migration’s human toll. Rooted in real historical crises, the story’s emotional authenticity endures, urging readers toward empathy in an often-indifferent world—a message as vital in 2025 as when first published.
