Disgrace by J.M Coetzee - Further studies AP) EnglIsh
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Course
English Home Language
Institution
12th Grade
Disgrace by J.M Coetzee is a South African novel based on the complex character of David Laurie in post apartheid South Africa. This essay is a base essay written to adapt to any topic on the novel for English home language or further studies (AP) English.
Essay AP English - David Lurie is a Villain
By Sophia kapetanakis
In J.M Coetzees’ novel Disgrace, complex relationships between political and social aspects of
South Africa are foregrounded. David Lurie is the protagonist of the storyline, yet David can be
seen as the antagonist through his fixated mindset on new south Africa, his sexual relationships
with women and his abuse of power. In this essay, I will argue how Davids sexual desire towards
woman and resistance to change his mindset from old south African beliefs to new south African
beliefs, ultimately labels David as a disgrace and a villain.
Davids political and social values best highlighted through his relationship with the different
women in his life. This is especially seen through the relationship with his students, Melanie Isaacs,
and Soraya. Melanie Isaac's is a victim of David Lurie's sexual dominance over woman as David
ultimately rapes Melanie. David believes that he has an excuse and purpose towards the crime he
commits towards Melanie, even if it is within his subconscious. This is evident as David commands
that Melanie "ought to... spend the night with [him]" and that Melanie has "a duty to share [her]
beauty" with him. Melanie does not give consent to David, yet David believes "she does not resist"
after she tells him "No not Now!" David does not see anything wrong with his forceful actions
towards Melanie as he believes it is "not rape, not quite that" but rather "undesired nevertheless."
Thus, David is seen as an offender as she is "too young," and he commits the crime of taking the
role of a sexual offender in the event of forcing himself on Melanie while she tries to "free herself"
from him. "Melanie tries to cleanse herself of [the rape]”. thus, she sees the act as disgraceful, but
she mostly tries to cleanse herself "of him" as Melanie believes she was sexually assaulted by David.
Thus, he is positioned as a villain as he encroaches on her body and her youth. Even though David
"would like to slide into a bath of his own" cleansing himself from the act he has committed with
Melanie, as he admits fault, he is Guilty of sexually pressurizing her allowing him to not be seen as
a victim of apartheid south Africa but rather allowing Melanie to be the victim. Furthermore,
Davids's disgrace can also be seen through his disrespectful treatment towards Soraya, a prostitute
and mother David regularly frequented. This is shown through his unwillingness to give Soraya her
right to privacy as David stalks her. He is unwilling to maintain boundaries as he believes "this
affection [for Soraya] is reciprocated." This suggests that he has no respect for Soraya and the other
woman he has had contact with as his "temperament is fixed, set" as a white man portraying his
dominance. Thus, David views women as property and asserts his power through using the silent
"body of the woman" as nothing more than a cheap thrill in which he is in full control. This allows
him to be seen as a villain rather than a victim.
Davids's resistance to change and adapt with post-apartheid south Africa frames him as non-
accepting and dismissive. He is unwilling to transform his identity from a superior white man in
society to an accepting and equal being in post-apartheid South Africa. David uses derogatory
terms towards people of color and refers to Melanie as "the dark one" immediately adding a layer
of prejudiced politics and discriminatory social values to his 'affair'. This allows his old south African
beliefs to rise to the surface. Davids fixated mindset on old south African privilege is seen through
his dislike towards Petrus's shift in power. Petrus is no longer "the gardener and dog-man" but
rather "is busy establishing his own lands", allowing him to become "the farm manager" and then
a neighbor and co-proprietor. Petrus's progressing as a black man in society suggests that petrus
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