Introduction
John Maxwell (J. M.) Coetzee is a well-known novelist who received numerous awards and recognition for his outstanding works. He is also a linguist and translator who contributed to the field of literature. Today the author represents two countries as he moved from South Africa to Australia at the beginning of the 21st century. Disgrace is one of the most appreciated by the public pieces of writing that came from Coetzee’s pen.
The novel reveals the events that happened in South Africa after the end of political apartheid. The narrative depicts the story of David Lurie. This man is a professor at Cape Technical University. He is over fifty years old and twice divorced, his working position was reduced, but Lurie still believes that his life is rather comfortable and stable. He never exceeds his financial and emotional boundaries and seems to be happy. However, everything ruins when the man seduces his student. Eventually, he is left dishonored and disgraced. Still, even though Coetzee seemed to simply reveal the story of one man, Disgrace reflects upon various themes that are on the front burner for the today’s society and hides messages between the lines with the help of his writing skills.
Themes
In his work, Coetzee was able to discuss several themes that have always interested individuals regardless of their age, gender, race, and other characteristics. First of all, it is the role of the family in people’s life and their vulnerability. Even though Lurie is single now and does not pay much attention to his personal life, familial relationships from his behavior: “But he is a father, that is his fate, and as a father grows older he turns more and more – it cannot be helped – toward his daughter. She becomes his second salvation, the bride of his youth reborn” (Coetzee 37). The man is ready to change for his child because she determines his future. The same happens in real life. When the generation gap occurs, relatives need to alter something to save their family.
Coetzee also pays much attention to the gender issue and the way males and females treat each other. For example, Lurie believes that it is easier for women to create something that will be their own. He says “Being a father…I can’t help feeling that, by comparison with being a mother, being a father is a rather abstract business” (Coetzee 28). The character believes that being a father is a simple process that does not require much effort while women need to carry a child and take care of one, which emphasizes their importance and influence.
Violence and justice are often discussed in our society, as they reveal its morality. Still, victims and criminals often perceive the same situation differently. In Disgrace, Lurie experienced both roles. He has never considered his actions towards Melanie to be an act of abuse while her family did and wanted justice. At the same time, he believed Lucy’s rape to be the violence and searched for justice himself (D’Souza para. 8). The readers have an opportunity to consider both situations and develop their personal views regarding these themes.
Allegory
As the main character moves to the country, dogs start playing a vital role in the novel. With their help, Coetzee represented people’s society (Pölling-Vocke 2). “Perhaps that is what I must learn to accept. To start at ground level. With nothing. Not with nothing but. With nothing. No cards, no weapons, no property, no rights, no dignity… Like a dog” (Coetzee 87). With his words, the author showed that people who represent the lowest layers of society are treated like dogs.
We like them and take care of them but do not allow them to become equal to us. Dogs live under people even if they are treated as a part of the family. Such individuals do not control their lives; they are led by those who are stronger and more influential. Dogs die in a pathetic way being put to sleep as those human beings who are like dogs have a hopeless and helpless life without anything to be the pride of.
Setting
The novel reveals the events that happened in different settings. Lurie leaves the city for a country, which changes his life. Living in a big developed city, David kept people at a distance (Dailey 7). There was enough space for everyone, and it was easy to remain strangers. The fact that no one cares about those who are around is proved by Lurie’s inability to understand why his actions towards Melanie were wrong. Still, moving to the rural region, David changes his life. The territory is smaller, people are closer to each other, they care about the whole community and treat it as an extended family: “A group of children passes him on their way home from school. He greets them; they greet him back. Country ways. Already Cape Town is receding into the past” (Coetzee 28).
Conclusion
Disgrace written by J. M. Coetzee is not just a story of one man. It is a masterpiece that reveals a wide range of themes critical for all human beings, such as family, gender, and justice. The author excellently utilized his writing skills and showed the state of the society between the lines of the novel. He showed how people are influenced by the people and the environment around them, emphasizing the fact that the family makes them powerful.
Works Cited
Coetzee, John. Disgrace. n.d. Web.
D’Souza, Tony. In Retrospect: “Disgrace,” Coetzee’s Masterpiece. 2008. Web.
Dailey, Vickie. A Review and Commentary on Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee. 2010. Web.
Pölling-Vocke, Bernt. The Stylistic Purpose of Animals and the Disgrace of a Nation in J.M. Coetzee’s “Disgrace”. 2004. Web.