The Grass is Singing

The chapter opens with a newspaper clipping announcing the death of Mary Turner, wife of Richard “Dick” Turner. The announcement also mentions that the house servant, a native named Moses, has confessed to the crime and been arrested. The narrative then switches to the reactions of “the district,” the white farming community to which the Turners belonged. Interestingly, though one of their own has been murdered, none of the white farmers really mention the murder. Charlie Slatter, the Turners’ neighbor, handles the case himself, though the silence of the community is seemingly agreed upon without him needing to saying anything.

Moreover, though the farmers are surprised by the news, they are not shocked. As the Turners are disliked by most of the community, no one really grieves for Mary, either. The Turners shirked their social responsibilities and never engaged with the other families, thus breaking the social code of the small white community. The community also dislikes the Turners because they lived poorly, and in some sense, as poorly as some natives. Their house is considered a hovel, one similar in design to even some of the natives’ houses. Their lack of decorum affronted their neighbors in the district and their sense of white superiority. Though some do in fact pity Dick Turner, they despise Mary to the point of thinking she deserved to be murdered. No one asks questions, but several questions cloud the murder. One question is why Charlie Slatter took such command of the incident. Another is why and how Mary had managed to be murdered in such a way by her native servant. People suspected why, it is revealed, but none dared say anything.

Other narrative inquiries reveal that Charlie Slatter was the first person informed about the murder, not the police or Dick’s assistant, Tony Marston. Due to possible gossip, Charlie wrote a note to Sergeant Denham informing him of the murder, then drove the five miles to Dick’s farm, taking command of the situation. It is also revealed that Moses gave himself up willingly. When people wonder why he had done so, it is suggested that the natives do have some sense of obligation to in doing the right thing, despite the white man’s belief that they are all crooked and evil. When Dick Turner returns to his farm and the black policemen realize that he is traumatized, they do not touch him, as he is white, and so leave him for Charlie Slatter to help him.

As Charlie approaches, the narrative shifts to his story, explaining how he started with nothing and became a wealthy farmer. He has a temper and once killed a native in anger. He has a sjambok (whip) he uses when farming and convinced the Turners to get one. The weapon is revealed to be a key component of the murder.

Charlie arrives to the Turner farm and finds a calm Moses and a bewildered Dick Turner. He escorts Dick to his car. He then questions Marston about why he did not inform Slatter of the murder himself. Marston did not know until later as he slept late and was not awakened by Dick Turner. Marston explains that he found Mary’s body on the veranda, but that he moved it inside as the dogs were licking at the body. Charlie views the body with contempt and disgust, though Marston does not see this look. Charlie then asks Marston, whom he dislikes for his newness to South African life, what he thinks happened. His tone warns Marston, causing the young man to question what he should say. Marston seems to know more about the murder and the state of the house than indicated initially, but is frightened by Charlie’s guarded, subtle inquiry. The narration reveals that Marston’s youth and newness make things difficult for him. Because of his unique background, he views the natives as human beings and has a sense of morality that is at odds with the way things are done in South Africa.

Charlie snubs Marston when he mentions that he has an idea about why the murder occurred. The older man tells Marston that he had better leave his ideas for the sergeant. When Denham arrives, he treats Marston with the same superior attitude. There is something guarded and hesitant in his questioning as well, and he looks at Charlie several times, as if the two men are silently conspiring. Marston becomes so angry at the way he is being treated that he finally explains what he thinks happened. He also suggests that what has happened is not as simple as “black and white.” Denham tells Marston that they want facts, not theories, and that he can say what he wants at the trial. Denham, too, looks at Mary’s body with disgust, and this time Marston sees the look. Her body is loaded into one car, while Dick is placed in the other, leaving Moses to walk into town to await his trial and execution.

Marston is disgusted by the entire ordeal and decides to leave it alone. The narrative then explains how Marston leaves the farm, wandering around and taking odd jobs. In the end, he settles into a desk job, which is ironic in that he had come to South Africa to escape a desk job. In the farming community he left, Marston is viewed as a young man who did not have the stomach to “stick it out” with farm life.