Analysis of the Novel Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee - Book Report/Review Example

Insert Analysis of the novel Disgrace The novel ‘Disgrace ’J. M. Coetzee is a novel that talks about how individual identity is looked upon in both social and political arena. We argue this with reference to how social and political change impact on the main character of the novel, Professor David Lurie. In the novel ‘Disgrace’ (1999), Coetzee uses the novel’s protagonist who is named David Lurie to discover the consequences that social and political change have in generating the base of individuality in a person. Through the protagonist David Lurie, the writer brings out the negative impacts the ethnic and sexually biased political and social programs have upon both the advantaged and disadvantaged people exposed to the system. This impact is revealed in David Lurie through the way he constructed his original personality, and when his personality becomes completely weakened as a result of the social and political transformation. According to Stratton, ‘the primary determinate for David’s identity is his sexuality’ (Stratton 83). David Lurie sexuality is clearly shown in the first chapters of the novel; on Tuesday afternoon David paid a visit to Soraya, the prostitute and he said, “solve the problem of sex quite well” (1). It is also seen when he took advantage of his student, Melanie Isaac, he “wakes…in a state of profound wellbeing, which does not go away” (20). Lucy portrays that the society values men more than women and through this power over women they sexually abuse the women. Though the value David depicts is out-of-date even as the novel was set in a post-feminist time, that is 1999, it has remained part of David’s identity. This value has been seen to create problems in his life and the life of women he meets.The social value displays him as a servant of Eros who diminishes women; he takes women as a tool to quench his desires. The social value he carries was a great sign of ‘disgrace’ after the court hearing and is seen in his relationship with his daughter and divorced wife, not one but two. David Lurie’s incapability to keep fruitful relations with women in his life is a further impact of the male-controlled values that he personifies. It is evident in the novel that David had married and divorced twice, and his incapability to sustain a marriage is stressed by the narration; the old tone has entered, the tone of the last years of their married life: passionate recrimination. The tone of Rosalind in the novel confirms that David has a past of incorrect behavior, and possible refusal to listen because of the males in the episode control the social behavior. Men in diversity are not allowed to conduct themselves wrongly if they live in a society where they are not allowed to be wrong. Stratton declares; ‘David has occupied for most of his life a position of centrality…in a world of patriarchal distinctions, rules, and logic.’ (83). A similar behavior has seen the relationship between David and his daughter Lucy. David is incapable of providing protection and guidance; this is particularly manifested in his surprise on Lucy’s sexuality, his suggestion that Lucy and Helen sleep together merely as children do…Sapphic love, an excuse for putting on weight. This exclusion of the fact and opportunity of love and affection without men is a clear expression of David’s failure to escape the ‘position of social power and authority’ (Kossew, p.156), and therefore an inability to have a fulfilling and equal relationship with a woman, as a result of the impact social values in the society which has a formation of his identity. Coetzee emphasizes that political ethics also have an influential role in creating one person’s identity. David act of taking advantage of Melanie Isaac his student may be viewed to be happening because of narrow-minded politics as well as inequitable social values. Even though the novel is set after Apartheid in South Africa, it is seen that David has matured in line with Apartheid political influence. This qualifies David’s harassment of Melanie though he never articulate any hate towards her, his crimes were just out of passion, as ‘a servant of Eros’ (p.52). That does not quantify that her race did not play a part in her oppression, the ‘political impairment’ (Stratton 83). The white dominance society David grew up with affected his view of black South Africans, it is quite imaginable that he viewed disrespecting Melanie Isaac who was a dark woman as not a mistake but violating a white woman was a crime. For example in his class, David noticed the blonde but ‘has no interest for’ (Stratton 29). The Apartheid influence he grew up in made him not sexually entice the blonde white girl because he knew it was impossible to get away with having her. Melanie became the best pray since she was black and David was a white male and in a position to ‘exercise his power and authority over her as a university professor, having an affair with a young female (black) student to satisfy his sexual desires’ (Kossew 156). According to Kossew, ‘racial politics’ (Kossew 156), is evident in David’s time. This is seen in Lucy’s rape case and Melanie’s rape case. David knew from the beginning that taking advantage of Melanie is wrong and it led to his admission that when he becomes confused by his differing sensation of ‘lover’ and ‘father’, ‘too young’ (18). This is his first automatic warning, but he assumes and then he swings to finding the act pleasurable. Even though David admits his actions as dubious, he regards the act as a mistake, not sexual abuse. To him, the brutality of Lucy’s rape is of less concern and not a matter too weighty. But in a real sense Lucy’s rape has a greater level of excessiveness and apparent gratuitousness to violence, and Lucy is the daughter of David. David took advantage of Melanie, but he is not sorry for the act but was somehow disturbed by the rape of her daughter. All this acts clarifies that David identity had a great influence on Apartheid political ideologies. His view that sexual assault towards Melanie was acceptable, was evident when he wouldn’t accept responsibility for his actions at his hearing in the court (52-56), he was not happy with her daughter accepting marriage to Petrus (204) and her acceptance to carry the rape baby is the source of evidence to support the above. He felt this will deny Lucy her happiness and wellbeing he did not do what her daughter did to intermingle with what he termed as ‘other’, the black. This racial, political element created David’s identity and made him accountable for holding him back from being able to fully support his daughter in the situation. If the social and political principles and the programs as accustomed in the piece is worked to form the origin of David’s identity work in opposition to him especially when they are negative, it sends him to ‘disgrace’. It is also seen when he refuses to take responsibility for his actions especially on what he did to Melanie Isaac this was fueled by his patriarchal social identity and position he held as a professor that made him think he has the power to act in that manner. His Apartheid political foundation affirms that his actions were justifiable; it’s fine to be a ‘servant of Eros’ (52) that is provided you’re serving Eros with a non-white, socially inferior young woman (52). New values creep in to replace the old Apartheid values; the new values begin to form new identity, notifying David that Melanie is too young, that he shouldn’t have assaulted her, and his actions were not right. However, to David the Apartheid identity prevails. The novel ‘Disgrace’ looks at the effect the social and political agendas have in the creation of the identity of a person. Coetzee articulate that the part of our identity developed upon the social and the political grounds may have a harmful effect on both the advantaged and disadvantaged within the system. In case of a change in the social and political arena, individual’s identity will be affected. All these are seen through the character of David Lurie, the main character in the novel. The writer of the novel Coetzee has employed symbolism and imagery in his writing. A dog which is viewed as Man’s best friend plays a huge role in ‘Disgrace’. The dog is viewed as a pet by Lucy, as workers and for business. The dog character is viewed principally after David loses his job as a professor, and he moves to his daughter’s farm in Kaffraria. David’s daughter keeps a number of dogs. The dogs have names and personalities like Katy, the bulldog. Lucy has trained dogs in his farm as workers to protect her farm and regulate her business, in exchange for their services; Lucy has built a kennel for them to stay. Lucy is accompanied by the dogs whom she has taken as pets for companionship and protection. Coetzee in the novel used dogs to represent the status different people held in society. Lucy in the novel says, "I dont want to come back in another existence as a dog or a pig and have to live as dogs or pigs live under us" (71). It’s true that though dogs are loved they live life lower than humans. Petrus introduces himself to David as the "dog-man" (55). Since he acted as the helper to Lucy but this changes with change in his social status and he brags in his party that he was, not anymore the dog-man to mean he was no longer on the same level with the dogs. This was because all of Lucys dogs were killed that is why, he cant be the dog since there were no dogs to care for. To David, the dogs showed his personality, internal examination, and troubles. As the social and political status change he sinks deep into shame and humiliation, he becomes more of a dog. The episodes unfolds to the plot where talks with Lucy go on concerning his own beastly acts at the University on his affair with Melanie, he judges himself against a dog that is beaten for following its sexual character that is when he was fired. To push time, David spends most of his time in the animal clinic pampering dogs to be asleep. This change of task from a professor to a dog handler is a punishment he receives from his dubious acts in the past. The dogs feel good, but he feels miserable ‘disgrace’. As the writer proceeds, the relationship between dogs and people who experience disgrace is more open. Lucy and David in their conversation it is clearly shown how dogs are likened to people; "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." "Yes, like a dog." Basically, it is true that to be a dog in this world is like to be a base, low, helpless being without rights or pride. David expresses his sympathy to one particular dog at the clinic that is crippled by one leg; he feels shameful on the way the dog struggles to live despite his condition. David decides to kill the dog; he took him to Bev for the lethal injection. This was to save the dog from the humiliation he was undergoing he felt it was better it died than life a bitter life. This is how David decided to relief the dog from ‘disgrace’ through lethal injection. Though it was easy to believe the dog from ‘disgrace’, human disgrace is far much hard to tackle and get away from. Disgrace is for both animal and human beings as seen in the novel. It’s better to avoid ‘disgrace’ since it is humiliating to life by it. The theme of the novel being from the title ‘disgrace’ is evident in the novel. David’s ‘disgrace’ is seen when he abuses his power as the professor. It is more disgraceful that he chose to have a sexual relationship with his student who is said to be even younger than her daughter. His ‘disgrace’ is further validate when he is fired from the university and due to lack of upkeep, he decided to go live with her daughter and becomes a dog, man. (2074 words) Works Cited Coetzee, J.M. Disgrace, Vintage, London. 1999. Print Kossew, S. ‘The Politics of Shame and Redemption in J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace’, Research in African Literatures, 2003; vol.32, no.2, pp.155-162. Stratton, F, ‘Imperial Fictions; J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace’, ARIEL, 2003; vol.33, no.3-4, pp.83-95 Read More