The Central Role of Lurie in Coetzees Disgrace - Book Report/Review Example

The Central Role of Lurie in Coetzee’s Disgrace Disgrace, by Coetzee, appears as a straightforward personal story, although it is much more examining. It explores different themes and subjects, including the delicate issue of rape, and the complex racial interactions of post-apartheid South Africa. The author presents the different themes and subjects through the character of Lurie, who appears like the focal point in developing the character of all the others. “Character development is used to vary the characterization of the dynamic character of the different characters through the course of a narrative” (Ormond 47). The author’s development of character revolves around the language, the perception and the thoughts of Lurie, who appears to direct the character associated with all the aspects of character development. This paper will discuss the central role of Lurie in the author’s development of different characters throughout the book (Coetzee 10). The book clearly presents the position of men and women as well as sex and the disgrace that comes with it. The author writes these ideas through the eyes of Lurie, where the reader is exposed to his spoken dialogue as well as the unspoken thoughts – which portray his discourse, desire and passions. Even though the novel is written in third person, the language, perceptions and the thoughts of Lurie dominate the narrative, which shows that character development for all others is filtered through that of Lurie. “However, exposure to Lurie’s person does not present intimacy; so much as it portrays his isolation. The question for the issue is whether the character of Lurie effectively works as the filtering point, to develop the context for all other characters” (Coetzee 10-17). Through the story, Coetzee represents different characters through that of Lurie. For example, he presents the position of all others – through the subjective outlook of Lurie. However, this is not entirely true; as it appears that his shallow outlook of women is what has caused his two previous divorces and his inability to connect with women. This leads to the contrast that he is one character that could not manage dealing with conscious women, pursuing to keep their ground, and those declining his sexual domination. For example, he often differed with the daughter, for she did not share in his wayward opinions. However, despite the success he finds in controlling women and manipulating their sexual life, Coetzee shows the rise of women, who prove his domination and sexual manipulation powerless. From the account, the character of women seems to develop – to become more self-directing people – through the perspective of Lurie (Coetzee 19-25). This experience is explicated through Lurie’s dealings with women, as the first few chapters introduce two of his lovers, Melanie and Soraya. These two women differ in ethnicity, age and education; the only shared characteristic is the relationship with Lurie, and his incapability to connect with their nature. Through Lurie, the reader is introduced to the encounters of prostitution, where affairs are founded on money. Through the nature of Soraya, Lurie is shown as a character who likes keeping his affairs uncomplicated. For instance, the superficial relationship between the two shows why Lurie knows nothing about the character of Soraya, who is a Muslim woman. Through the character of Lurie, the dominated character of women is developed, for example, the domination of Melanie through authority and Soraya through money. Through this domination, the disrespected nature of women in the then South African society is portrayed. Through Melanie, Lurie is depicted as a man who defines the interests and behaviors of women, through his own desires, as opposed to noticing their lack of interest in him and the absence of common interest between the men and women of that time. Lurie’s insensitivity to women, rules, ethics and law is used to join the different characters into his own. For example, Melanie and Soraya are tied onto his subjection, one for money and the other by authority (Coetzee 16-19). Through their dealings, the superficial consideration for women is presented. This is evident through the case of Melanie, as she does not seem to object to his advances, but she does not seem to consent to them either. However, his control does not exist for long, as she makes the issue public, which leads Lurie to the public hearing. Therefore, through the work of Coetzee, it is evident that the character of Lurie is one that portrays the themes of “male domination and the manipulation of sex, although women have the power to end the subjection. These are developed in the character of different women characters” (Narvaez 157). During the investigation over sexual harassment, the officials at the public trial bench are shown as pretentious people, who hold the trial to get a confession from Lurie, though he discerns their aim and fails to cooperate (Coetzee 40). Through the character of Lurie, the reader is exposed to the then justice system. After losing his job, Lurie moves to Salem, where the characters of Lucy, Bev Shaw and Petrus are portrayed through his eyes. For example, through the eyes of Lurie, his daughter Lucy is an anachronism (Coetzee 43-52). Character development through the character of Lurie shapes the entire proceedings of the investigation, his relations and association at Salem, and a sense of change to become considerate after dealing with animals for a while. This is completely true, as the different dealings throughout the account revolve around his role, as a valuable employee at the university and a knowledgeable person at Salem. However, for him to maintain his control he had to cooperate with other characters – for example the investigators over harassment, who sought to embarrass him and not offer justice to the abuse of Melanie (Coetzee 43-52). During the violent attack, where the daughter is raped, the character of the criminals is portrayed through Lurie – after they hit him unconscious. Their character as seen in his eyes, is that of violent insensitive people. Later on, the insensitive character of Bev Shaw is portrayed through the eyes of Lurie, who views him as insensitive about his sentiments about the contribution of Petrus towards the rape of his daughter. The distanced character of the daughter is portrayed through the eyes of Lurie, as one who desired to keep her distance from the father. This is depicted through the advice he is offered by Bev, requesting him to keep distance from the daughter. He gave in to the advice, resolving to spend more time with the animals (Coetzee 77). Later, the character of Mr. Isaacs is shown through that Lurie, after Lurie apologizes over the grief he had caused him and the wife. He is portrayed as a considerate person, as he later promises to intervene for his return at the university (Coetzee 171). Through the character of Lurie, Rosalind, Lurie’s ex-wife, is portrayed as a character that cares about his welfare, as he reminds him of his act of giving up his career for an affair (Coetzee 187). Through the different characters, Lurie’s sense of alienation from society is portrayed. For example, he had been displaced from his job; his home raided, and was not warmly greeted by Elaine Winter, at the supermarket. Arguably, his alienation resulted from the earlier treatment of other characters as though they were second best to him. For example, through the character of Rosalind, he is portrayed as a great self-deceiver (Coetzee 188) and according to Lucy, Lurie acted as though the lives of others formed only a part of his own (Coetzee 198). The inadequacy of his self-centered approach culminates in his loss of everything; he suffered disgrace from his selfish perspective. To the end of the account, the character of Lurie is portrayed as the central point for character development, as his dealings with the different characters are used to draw-out the characters of these other characters. For example, towards the end, Mr. Isaacs and Rosalind’s characters are portrayed through the book, as they revolved around their relations with Lurie. However, he is shown to influence their character greatly, as he still receives their favor. For example, Mr. Isaacs promises to intervene for him at the University. However, his central role in developing the other characters fades, as he is shown as an object of ridicule from all other characters by the time the story ends. For this reason, it is clear that his central role as the character that was used to develop all other characters throughout the story diminishes towards the end. Works Cited Coetzee, John. Disgrace. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. Print. Narvaez, Darcia. “Does Reading Moral Stories Build Character?” Educational Psychology Review 14. 2 (2002): 157. Ormond, Jeanne. Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill, 2003. Print. Read More