“The Earth” is a knowledgeable and fact story written by H. E. Bates. Through this story, H. E. Bates explain about lazy parents and their a abnormal minded child. the laziness of the parents and the selfishness of their simple- minded son who drives them away from their home.
In this story, Johnson was a tenant farmer. He was kind- hearted person, but he was very lazy. He did not work hard. He believed more in luck than work. He had no land of his own. He had rented it from Sanders.
He had a simple- minded son named Benjy. He was worried about his son. On the advice of doctor, Johnson built a wire coop in a corner of his farm and gave him some hens to keep engaged in work. Benjy took interest in keeping hens and knew all the tricks of the trade. Johnson also opened a passbook for him to keep his money.
Benjy’s parents had saved a lot of money Afor him. When they gave him the passbook, he did not say a word of gratitude. He opened the passbook, looked at the amount and put it in his pocket. Benjy’s parents did not feel good, when he silently put the passbook in his pocket.
When Benjy knew the trick of the trade, he began to earn money. He deposited a lot of money in his account.When he started earning money, he forgot his parents. He purchased the land from Sanders that his father had rented.
When he was about forty, he married Florence against the wishes of his parents. Florence was one of the Benjy’s employees.
Gradually, Benjy became indifferent to his parents. He did not treat his parents justly. He became so cruel that the drove them out of his home.
Thus, in this story we find that a selfish and cunning son deceived his parents and too much trust became the reason of the tragedy of the parents.