42 pages • 1 hour read
The Grass is Singing
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
The Grass is Singing is a powerful novel that explores several poignant topics, including human relationships, power struggles, and the effects of racism. The novel is set in Southern Rhodesia (present-day South Africa) and explores the lives of its inhabitants during white rules in the county. The novel was Lessing’s debut novel and helped to propel her to the literary success. Her treatment of desire, drive, and need regarding individuals, communities and even nations is masterful, and comprehensive.
The narrative concerns the events of Mary Turner’s life. From Chapter One, the reader is aware that the self-confident Mary has been murdered by her house servant, Moses, who has confessed to the killing and been arrested. He awaits trial and will be executed for the crime. From this shocking revelation, the narrator explains how Mary and her husband, Dick Turner came to be strongly disliked by “the district,” the white farming community that they were a part of. Though there are many reasons for them being disliked, it is hinted that some reasons—which are in fact tied to the murder—are not discussed by anyone. This fact piques the reader’s interest in finding out just what this community knows concerning Unlock all 42 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Doris Lessing
