5. Conclusion 9

Works Cited 10

1. Introduction

    Doris Lessing is a Nobel Prize winner. The Grass is Singing is her first novel and draws much attention. It is regarded as one of the best works after World War Ⅱ. It is a story about the murder of the poor white woman Mary by her black houseboy Moses with the backdrop of South Africa under the British colonialism. The novel reflects many social issues that we should pay attention to, such as racial discrimination between the Black and the White and women condition under the power of men. In order to understand Doris and her works better, it is necessary to analyze her works. 

1.1 Researches both at Home and Abroad 

    Many domestic and overseas scholars have done researches on this novel. Some focus on image and symbolism. They think the novel has many images, such as grass, Mary, Moses, house, ceiling, etc.. The grass is the main image in the novel. Ma Longyun thinks that grass stands for Mary and nature while Africans are represented by Moses (163-165). Ma Cixiang finds more symbols from the novel - Mary and Moses (167-168). Some scholars focus on post-colonialism and racial discrimination. They think the conflict mainly exists between different races, inpidual and unity, and different genders while others focus on post-colonialism and psychoanalysis. However, few of them focus on patriarchy. Still, some of the scholars believe that Mary and Dick are the victims of patriarchy.  

1.1.1 Mary as a Victim   

    There are three men who destroy Mary’s life. The first one is her father, who causes her mother’s pain and influences her attitude towards marriage. The second is Dick. She depends on Dick and hopes that Dick can build a good life with her. But Dick is luckless and always gives up halfway, finally ruining all of her hopes. Then she puts her hope on having a child. She wants to have a child to rely on just as what her mother does. But this dream collapses because of Dick’s rejection. The last one is Moses. She finds out that she can only rely on Moses, and she hopes that Moses can save her from the aimless days. However, because of race problem, she finally chooses to reject Moses, which provokes Moses（田 71）.

1.1.2 Dick also a Victim

    Dick is also the victim of patriarchy. Patriarchy restricts women and men at the same time. In patriarchy, men are expected to be dominant, powerful, centered and rational. The most important image of men is being successful and strong. Apparently, Dick does not meet this standard. He lacks ability and always gives up halfway, although he uses the standard to require himself. Thus, when he makes life poorer and poorer, he is also tortured (陈 20-25).

1.2 Studies from Perspective of Patriarchy Combined with Eco-feminism

    The Grass is Singing is special because of its special context and background. It reveals feminism and nature at the same time. Because of this, many scholars find the similarity of women and nature, and they combine ecologism and feminism, known as eco-feminism, to analyze The Grass is Singing. Some scholars analyze patriarchy in the novel with the help of eco-feminism theory. They mainly talk about the conflict between human and nature, the conflict between men and women reflected in the novel. They think women and nature are “others” to men, and are controlled and oppressed by men（缪 169）.

    1.2.1 The Conflict between Human and Nature under Patriarchy System

Charlie is the representative of such kind of patriarchy. He is hard-hearted and takes from soil without restriction, and he regards soil as the tool to earn money. On the contrary, Dick treasures his farm and treats his farm like a friend. But the patriarchal society cannot accept such “weak” people like Dick, so his farm is doomed to be taken away（史 103-104）.