The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing (May 31-June 3, 2005)
Doris Lessing's first novel The Grass is Singing is set in Ngesi, Rhodesia during the 1940s. Rhodesia is a British colony, and in her novel Lessing explores the racism and dynamics of the native/colonist relationship in a tragic story.
The novel begins following Mary Turner's murder. The reader is drawn in wondering why the white farmer, Charlie Slatter, blames and despises Mary. Why did Moses, the native houseboy, murder her? Along with a new farmer from England, Tony Marston, the reader catches a glimpse of who is in charge in this farming community, how the natives are treated, the seniority of community behavior, and the differences between British education, and the harsh treatment of natives in the colony.
The second chapter takes us back in time to Mary's youth. After her family struggles with poverty in her childhood, Mary grows to be an independent young woman. She has an office job, lives in a girls' home, is friends with half the town, but doesn't have any romances. She is content until she overhears friends speaking of her age, how she hasn't married, and her too youthful dress. These comments feel like criticisms to Mary, biting at her until she begins changing herself and looking for a husband. She soon marries a struggling farmer, Dick Turner, and leaves her life in the city for the isolation of life on a farm. Mary is not suited for life on the farm. She hates the heat and poverty and feels that she has chosen the life of her mother. She nags and berates the native houseboys until they quit one by one and she gets a reputation as an unreasonable mistress. She refuses to socialize with any of the neighboring families leaving her isolated to everyone but Dick.
Dick thinks in terms of the next season and his pride won't let him ask for favors, in spite of the fact that their home is shabby and they don't have a proper roof. Mary, meanwhile, dreams of success of the farm and a return to the city. Year after year of struggles and failures eat away at her and she loses the little respect for her husband that she had. When Dick falls ill, Mary manages the farm. She is enraged by what she sees as a worker's impertinence towards her and commits an illegal act, whipping his face.
Two years later, Dick brings this same man in to serve as the houseboy. Moses is obedient and hardworking, but Mary fears him. Her feelings waver; she sees him as a human rather than a slave, which is an unpardonable sin for the white colonists who hold themselves above the black native. Moses has dignity, is well educated and even speaks English to Mary. This angers her; she fears him and at the same time is attracted to him. She criticizes her, but when he makes a request to leave his position, Mary cries and begs him to stay. Moses realizes his power over her, and Mary recognizes her weakness and need. Mary begins going mad. Meanwhile, Moses does what he can to care for her and please her, even dressing her, though to touch a white woman is forbidden.
Charlie Slatter visits and realizes that Moses and Mary have an inappropriate relationship for the colonists' standards. He decides immediately to put a stop to it, by buying Dick's farm and sending the Turners away. He brings in Tony to manage the farm for Dick while he and Mary go on a vacation. Tony also sees the inappropriateness of Moses and Mary's behavior and thinks Mary is crazy. He orders Moses to leave days before the Turners are scheduled to leave. Moses, speaking to Mary, asks if these are also her wishes. She screams at him to leave, and when he does she is distraught. Tony doesn't understand her behavior. Mary thinks Tony can save her as years ago she believed Dick would. She goes to his hut and finds books on Rhodes, and laughs, realizing he can't help her. She begins to search for Moses. During a lightning storm that night, Mary stands outside looking for Moses, sees him and recognizes her disloyalty to him. Moses comes to her and kills her.
Moses is arrested. He is given no sympathy and Mary is despised in death. Dick Turner goes mad. Charlie hides the facts and takes the land, and Tony leaves farming for good.
What stands out is Mary's psychological struggle and spiral downward. She is unable to adapt to the harshness of the life she chose. She breaks unwritten societal rules. She can't reconcile her true feelings with what she's been taught to feel, or her own conscience with that of the colonists. Her avoidance alienates her from everyone. She is helpless, and as the book progresses, the sensation of Mary's psychosis is intense and striking.
