A Study Of The Trauma Of The Female Protagonist In The Grass Is Singing

As the first novel written by Doris Lessing, the tragedy of the female protagonist in The Grass is Singing has long been heatedly discussed. Previous studies concentrate on the issues of the colonialism and racial segregation it involves. This thesis focuses on the female protagonist’s traumatic memories and attempts to analyze her trauma by employing Freud’s trauma theory. By studying the traumatic symptoms and experiences of the female protagonist, this thesis analyzes the psychological impact of the traumatic memories, which exerts a tremendous influence on the protagonist’s life. Furthermore, this thesis discusses the intrusive and repetitive traumatic memories of the female protagonist and argues that her trauma results from her suffering in the repressive patriarchal South African society that has been under the control of the colonialism and racial segregation. Mary’s miserable experiences in childhood shatter her belief in family and cause a great trauma to her. In addition, suppression in the marriage makes her repeat the traumatic events, which aggravates her trauma. However, the indifference of white’s community and the economic exploitation in the racial segregation deny her a supportive environment for a recovery. Besides, white women’s phobia to the blacks, especially the sexual anxiety, compounds her trauma and gradually leads to her madness. Traumatic memories appear intrusive in her dreams, and under the patriarchy and the racial segregation, her trauma repeats again and again. In such a social context, Mary has unavoidably become a victim without any hope to recover. Through her depiction of Mary’s trauma, Lessing shows sympathy toward and concern about the fate of women in the patriarchal and racial segregated South Africa.