Abstract:Doris Lessing has been recognized as one of the most accomplished writers of the twentieth century. She, in 2007, won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The themes in her works range from ethnic conflicts, gender relations, politics to other social realities. The Grass is Singing is her first novel, which successfully won her worldwide fame and praise thereafter. The book is set in South Africa in 1930 – 1940s, which is full of colonialist culture, and depicts the destructive exploitation by British settlers, and the tragic destiny of the blacks, women and the poor white colonists due to racial and gender discrimination. The critical commentary on The Grass is Singing varies in focus and treatment. Some critics have presented plot summaries and brief discuss of the characters and the themes; some have examined Lessing’s attitude towards political and social commitment; others mainly probe into the structure and the form of the novel and its narrative techniques. This thesis focuses on the symbolism skills in the novel and mainly on the symbolic meaning of the image of “the grass”. In The Grass is Singing, the “grass” is endowed of several symbolic meanings by Lessing: “grass” is the implication of the protagonist Mary and women represented by her under the patriarchal; “grass” is also the implication of Moses, who is the representation of black natives under the colonialism; “grass” is then the implication of nature which is destroyed by men. Since it is an important image that Lessing adopted to imlpy the tragic destiny of nature, women and slaves through the successful depict of it.      

Keywords:  The Grass is Singing  grass  symbolic implication

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Brief Introduction to Doris Lessing-1

1.2 Brief Introduction to The Grass is Singing-1

1.3 Brief Introduction to Symbolism and Symbolism Skills in Lessing’s Works-2

1.4 Concise Introduction to Present Research Results-3

Chapter Two Symbolic Implication of the “Grass”-4

2.1 The Implication of Mary-4

2.1.1 Mary’s Twisted Childhood-4

2.1.2 Mary’s Ruined Marriage-4

2.1.3 Mary’s End of Life-5

2.2 The Implication of the Black Natives like Moses-6

2.2.1 Black’s Living Situation in South Africa-6

2.2.2 Blacks’ Loss of voice-7

2.2.3 Blacks’ Inability of Resisting-7

2.3 The Implication of Nature-8

2.3.1 Men’s Relationship with Nature-8

2.3.2 Men’s Deprivation of Land-8

2.3.3 Men’s Endless Greedyness towards Nature-9

Chapter Three Conclusion-11

References-12