Disgrace by J.M.Coetzee – A book review

Claim to fame :

• Disgrace is the winner of the Nobel prize in literature 2003 and winner of the 1999 Booker prize. Disgrace is now also a movie featuring John Malkovich.
• Another one of his books, ‘Life & Times of Michael K’ has won the 1983 Booker prize and his book ‘Summertime’ was shortlisted for the 2009 Booker prize.

Disgrace - The Novel

            I am at a loss as to where to begin the praise. Is it the fact that such a context can be thought of that needs to be applauded more or the bold and intricate manner in which it has been sketched? Coetzee’s characters breathe and you feel the warmth of their breath. They are up, close, they touch you, mock you excite you, pull you down, their words reverberate in your ears, their hapless emotions trespass your mind, and their immaculate realism surprises you.

            David Lurie, a Communications professor at the Cape Technical University in South Africa, is 52, married twice, divorced twice with a distantly living grown up girl from his first marriage as the only person in the name of family. He is happily sorted and settled in his life.

            But a man has needs. Bodily needs. More so, a lonely man who has had no difficulties in the past. As long as he derives the pleasures through the payment gateway, everything is fine, but the abrupt dissociation from his favorite girl throws his settled life off balance. This results in an affair with a student of his who is less than half his age. When the word is out, it disrupts the entire balance of his life and he is in no mood to give any justification to anyone. He knows neither he nor she has wronged, but more importantly he knows that subjects like these are beyond the common comprehension of people and there is no point in making an attempt. He quits, forsakes everything in his current life and moves to the countryside, to his daughter Lucy’s dwelling.

            He is almost coming to terms with the slow and seemingly meaningless country life when a robbery and rape shakes his life yet again and invariably his daughter’s too. What pains him more than the horrific crime is the inane acceptance of it by Lucy. Why? Demeaning himself through a self imposed punishment for his disgrace in the city though he doesn’t hold himself responsible, he finds it overwhelming and impossible to comprehend Lucy’s reactions towards the incident, the entire matter of fact attitude shown by not only her but all around. And not only the incident, but the entire shameless, blunt and flamboyant display of power surrounding her farm, the effusive helplessness overexposed by Lucy is killing him, driving him crazy and to top it all, he is strictly restrained from doing anything about it. Lucy’s credence, he feels is not only stupid, but disastrous and suicidal. Why does she refuse to punish the wrong doers when he has so easily and readily punished himself? The worst part is that he cannot ease the pain; not off her, not off himself.

            The writing is so beautiful and bold that you feel the obstinacy, the angst, the helplessness, the pain and sorrow of both the lead characters though in completely different ways. You might just end up abhorring and ridiculing Lucy for her docile and meek mannerism. But, on second thoughts, you realize there is no right or wrong. What is escapism for some may be just treading on a peaceful path. What might look like foolish acceptance and cowardice might be the most befitting thing to do, might just be facing the circumstance and standing tall.

            

            Just like everyone claims to understand the Mahatma’s doctrines, teach them, preach them but when it comes to it, fail to act on them, follow them.

            This is my first Coetzee book and I am already a huge fan!

J. M. Coetzee