The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

Yep, Laurence. 2006. THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
ISBN 0060275243

*Plot Summary

In this historical fiction novel, two young boys and their families survive the earthquake of San Francisco in 1906.

*Critical Analysis

In THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, Yep has created multi-dimensional, interesting characters. Through action and dialogue, these characters are revealed. The two main characters, Chin and Henry, are friends; Chin’s father works for Henry’s family. The boys share similar interests, especially reading “penny dreadfuls,” paperback books about the adventures of western figures like Marshall Earp. Yep combines historical details and cultural markers to make the characters authentic, and each character has a distinct personality which makes him or her believable to readers.

Readers will also relate to the characters’ reactions to the earthquake which makes the characters realism and authenticity to the historical novel. For example, Chin’s father, Ah Sing, works as a houseboy for the Travis family. However, he is also portrayed as a family man works to in America and sends money back to China to his much missed wife and family. When the earthquake strikes, he works to save his son without regard for his own life.

There are several other cultural markers regarding the characters. The names of the characters: Chin, Ah Sing, and Ah Quon. Also, the importance Ah Sing places upon taking his son to Chinatown because “he doesn’t want to Chin to forget he’s Chinese.” Finally, the people of Chinatown do not all speak the same dialect, so Chin cannot understand all of them even though they are Chinese.

The plot of the novel follows the events of the earthquake in the city of San Francisco. Chapters tell the accounts of each boy and his family, so readers are able to understand the effects of the earthquake across the city. The plot moves along at a quick pace giving details of the quake’s effect on different sections of the city, the growth of the fires, and the reactions of people.

Although Yep includes many details of the true events, they all contribute to the plot and to the boys’ stories. Also, the horror of the earthquake is conveyed through these details without being sensational or overwhelming. To further the plot, Yep uses the historical details and cultural markers effectively. For example, when the Chin, Ah Sing, and their friend Ah Quon escape the chaos of San Francisco to Oakland, they find that Chinese people must live in special camps because “Americans object to living next to Chinese.”

In THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, the setting is particularly important because the novel is based upon the actual events surrounding the San Francisco earthquake. Yep includes great descriptions of San Francisco and different parts of the city. For example, before the quake hits, Chin and his father go to Chinatown. “Though it is late, Chinatown is still very busy. Chinese shop in the stores. They eat in the restaurants. Americans dine with them. Some are ladies in evening dress and gentlemen in top hats.” Readers also get a sense of history in the description of the people fleeing the fires and the firemen fighting the fires. Automobiles and carriages fill the streets.

Adding even more authenticity to the setting are the cultural details. An example is the people who fill Chinatown and the architecture of San Francisco which Chin compares to that of China. “They look so plain compared to the ones at home…But the Chinese have added signs and decorations to them. The American buildings look like they are wearing Chinese disguises.”

Yep includes many themes in his novel, including the idea of heroism, family, bravery, racism, and community. These themes are revealed as the people of San Francisco, especially Chin and Henry, deal with the aftermath of the earthquake. The style of the novel combines a realistic portrayal of events and an imaginative use of language. Readers learn the true reactions of people to the crisis; some are brave while others take advantage or practice racism. The city is destroyed and many people lose their lives. Yep communicates these facts employing imagery and figurative language: “… soil becomes like quicksand,” “river of people flows north,” and fire that seems “like a living monster.” Many descriptions are poetic.

With short chapters labeled by time, date, and location, the novel moves quickly and dramatically. Finally, the preface, afterword, and photographs at the back of the book help readers understand the historical accuracy of this historical fiction story.

*Response

I found this novel to be interesting, heart-breaking, and entertaining. This is a strange way to describe my reaction, but it fits well for this book. I think students will enjoy learning about a “real” event from history. Yep’s depiction of the boys in the book makes the history more personal. I think this book would be a great read aloud.

*Review Excerpts

“Young readers will find the story engaging and the disaster fascinating, and they will breathe a sigh of relief when the two friends are reunited.”
Library Media Connection

“Yep's research is exhaustive. He covers all the most significant repercussions of the event, its aftershocks, and days of devastating fires, and peppers the story with interesting true-to-life anecdotes.”
School Library Journal

“This is a timely reminder of a historical disaster that turned over 2000 acres of city into a wasteland. Each chapter is headed with a time and place to help less than proficient readers keep track of the narrative strands. Simple sentence structure and the use of present tense throughout make this a very accessible introduction… It is notable especially for the attention paid to the experience of San Francisco's Chinese immigrants, and a good choice for reluctant readers.”
Kirkus Review

*Connections

-Write a journal entry. How does the earthquake affect different parts of the city and different groups of people in the city? Did it make a difference who you were or where you lived? Explain.

-Choose one of the “selected resources” from the end of the book to conduct further research about the earthquake.

-Discuss the each boy’s idea of his father. How did this idea change as the novel progressed?

-Read another book by Laurence Yep. How is it different from THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES? How is it the same?