The Grass Is Singing : characters

“The Grass is Singing” is a novel by Doris Lessing (1919 – 2013). The novel was published in 1950. The main characters in the novel include:

Mary Turner

The protagonist of the novel. Mary is married to Dick. But they’re not happy as they have a financial crisis. Mary strongly hates the Black people. As a result, she is murdered by a black man.

Dick Turner

Husband of Mary Turner. He is a very unlucky farmer who never makes any profit from his farm.

Moses

Servant of Dick’s farm. He murders Mary to take revenge.

Charlie Slatter

A neighbor of Dick. He is a very shrewd man.

Tony Martson

Assistant to Charlie Slatter. He witnesses the illicit affair between Mary and Moses.

Martha

Martha is the black housemaid who works for the Smiths and significantly impacts Mary’s life.

Minor Characters

Tony Marston: Tony is a young man who briefly works on the Turners’ farm. He is also a part of the white community in Southern Rhodesia.

Mrs Cawley: Mrs Cawley is a neighbour and friend of the Turners. She plays a role in the social interactions and dynamics in the novel.

The African Workers: Various African workers on the Turner farm represent the oppressed and marginalized black population in the colonial setting.