Summary Of J. M Coetzee's Disgrace

J.M Coetzee’s, Disgrace translates David Lurie’s lack of compassion for women; some may say he cared about them. Consequently, he was only merely pacifying his conscience. What is evident in the novel was the power struggle David encountered throughout the book with mainly the female characters. This story touches on a few moments when different characters experience the disgrace. Moreover, what may catch one 's attention was the sexual violation, experienced by Melanie Isaacs and Lucy Lurie. Even though one latest for a couple of weeks and the other came and went in a blink of an eye, it resonates how two different situations are resulting in the same outcome. These two pivotal moments in the story, hold true to the definition of rape. The

The setting was that of a light rainy afternoon, but not necessarily gloomy. Unknown to Melanie, David is captivated by her, he recognizes her as one of his students, it is at that moment that David decides he will seduce. As she questions his desire, Lurie is quick to tell her “Because a woman’s beauty does not belong to her alone (16).” Although, Coetzee does not directly state in the novel that Melanie Isaacs’ encounter with Lurie was rape, but of two consenting adults having sexual relations. One can just visualize the story written in Melanie’s point of view; interpreted as rape. Even though she did not aggressively fight him off her when they had sexual relations, Coetzee made her appear repulsive by the situation. M. Van Wyk Smith suggests: “His seduction of one student, Melanie Isaacs, could be construed as rape (14).” As new developments occur, the narrator does not acknowledge that the encounter David had with Melanie was rape. The last sexual encounter that they had, the girl described once, in the beginning, is no longer. Melanie Isaac is now a shy, depressed person due to the situation Lurie lured her to. With the help of a male friend, Melanie reported the inappropriate relationship. Therefore, the question arises of his morals as a person. David did not see himself as a predator, but a pulsating, decent, well-educated, vigorous man with needs. The steps taken upon

Bringing readers to an understanding that, the dissolution of the apartheid law in South Africa was still too recent, and many were, or may still find it challenging to cope with the many struggles endured during the time that law was active. Bandici states that: “David’s affairs with non-white women are an indicative of white subjugation of non-whites (36).” One may dare to say, Coetzee is a racist, although he is not personally known to me nor have any researched done for this paper, found any personal quotes from him stating if that is a fact or not. Needless to say, he may have been just writing a fictional novel dealing with real world circumstances that he presumably, either experience himself or stumbled upon in his daily life. However, one thing is definite, rape defined in many different ways may seem a sexual relationship for one person, may not be for