Daughter of Earth

Daughter of Earth (1929) is an autobiographical novel by the American author and journalist Agnes Smedley. The novel chronicles the years of Marie Rogers's tumultuous childhood, struggles in relationships with men (both physical and emotional), time working with the Socialist Party, and involvement in the Indian independence movement.

The novel opens in Missouri, while subsequent chapters take place in Arizona, New Mexico, New York City, and San Francisco. Born into a poor farming family, Marie is regularly physically abused by her mother. Her father owns a farm, but he takes several temporary jobs in order to supplement his income. A maiden aunt (spinster) who works as a laundress and prostitute provides some financial assistance to her impoverished relatives. After Marie's father kicks the aunt out of the family, Marie resorts to theft to provide for her family. As a teenager, Marie is briefly engaged to her older sister's widower. She breaks off the engagement, and starts working as a teacher while still in her teens. Marie leaves her teaching job to take care of her dying mother, and then works as a traveling saleswoman. Using most of her income to support her family instead of herself, she nearly dies of starvation in a hotel. While sick in bed, Marie learns that she is rumored to be a prostitute despite being a virgin. She survives an attempted rape, when another woman is mistaken for Marie and is raped in her place.

After recovering her health, Marie marries a well-educated acquaintance with the understanding that their marriage will be an equal partnership. When her husband starts becoming domineering and giving orders to her, Marie ends the marriage. She discovers that an old friend who she once admired for his education and social status has much different religious and political ideas than her own. She rejects his attempts to convert her to Christianity. Marie finds work as a stenographer and journalist during World War I, and she gets involved in the Indian independence movement. When she agrees to hide a fellow activist's confidential list in her apartment, a Christian misogynist acquaintance breaks into her apartment and rapes her. Shortly later, Marie is imprisoned for her activism. She marries an Indian revolutionary, but her marriage is destroyed when her rapist circulates rumors about their supposed relationship. Following the end of her second marriage, Marie is left alone with her life work destroyed.

The novel begins in the 1890s with the Rogers family farming in Missouri. Though they are poor, Marie is unaware of this and enjoys her childhood for the most part. She does suffer physical abuse at the hands of her mother (Elly) who believes that Marie lies. Marie's parents’ marriage is not a happy one; Marie's father wishes to make more money by leaving the farm and moves the reluctant family in order to obtain work cutting wood. The family bounces back and forth between John Rogers's temporary jobs and life on the farm.

Marie's Aunt Helen comes to live with the family and works doing laundry for wealthy women. As a working woman, she is respected on the same level as John Rogers. Marie attends school regularly and becomes one of the smartest in her class. When she attends the birthday party of one of the wealthier students, Marie is made aware of class difference. She sees that not everyone lives as she does, and she is humiliated.

When John discovers Aunt Helen is working as a prostitute he kicks her out of the house. Elly and Marie are left to support the family when John leaves them again. Marie begins stealing to keep the family fed and clothed.

John Rogers returns and the family moves to a mining camp. Annie, Marie's older sister, marries at the age of sixteen. Her husband is the former beau of Aunt Helen. Annie dies only a few years after this. Jim, one of the men who works for John, proposes marriage to Marie and she accepts. Marie is fifteen. John and Elly explain the implications of marriage to Marie, and she breaks off the engagement. Due to financial troubles, the family continues to move for work.

As a teenager, Marie becomes a teacher and moves to New Mexico. A pen pal relationship begins between Marie and Robert Hampton. Marie admires him for his education and the success middle-class status affords him. Marie leaves her second teaching job when she discovers her mother is deathly ill and goes home to be with her as she dies.