Parched Earth is a contemporary novel written by Tanzanian author, Elieshi Lema, and was first published on 29 December 2001 by E&D Ltd.
The story revolves around major themes such as, love, marriage and patriarchy. Despite the fact that she loved her first husband, Martin, their marriage was rife with problems. A lot of this stemmed from their different positions in society. Whilst Martin was a successful accountant and had a prosperous future, Doreen was expected to assume the role of a dutiful housewife.
This brings into questions many expectations of what she wants from her life. Though she loves him, she does not want to be restrained by her role as a mother and wife. Things between the two comes to blows when she gives birth to a girl and not a son. The societal expectations for her to birth a boy put her at odds with her husband and make her feel as though she has failed him, leading to the irretrievable breakdown of their marriage. However, when Joseph comes along, he advocates for women’s rights and equal treatment, which results in him and Doreen living together happily ever after.
