Summary J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace - English Home Language
9 views 0 purchase
Course
English Home Language
Institution
11th Grade
Book
J.M. Coetzee\'s Disgrace
This is a personal summary that I have written during my many hours of AP English classes.These notes provide a close analysis on the famous South African novel entitled Disgrace by J.M Coetzee. These notes have quotes, page numbers and an analysis of the quote. It is also subdivided into which quo...
DISGRACE
J.M Coetzee
When the novel came out in 1999 south Africa was the sweetheart and darling of the whole
world. We were fresh out with the new laws; a civil war was avoided, and Nelson Mandela
was president thus making south Africa’s image great. Coetzee then comes and writes this
critical novel called Disgrace, showing that south Africa is in fact a disgrace. He is criticizing
the new south Africa to the point that he was nationally slammed on television. From the
start this dark novel has been controversial.
Politically the novel is hostile.
BACKGROUND ON COETZEE
• He was an English lecturer at UCT.
• He was so disgusted with the new south Africa that he left and went to live in
Australia.
• This novel won the Booker prize. Arguably the most prestigious book prize in the
world.
• Coetzee writes economically and tightly.
MAIN THEMES
1.DESIRE AND POWER
• David Lurie uses his elevated position to manipulate twenty-year-old Melanie into
having sex with him. David is drawn to the idea of being in a position of power, and
his relationship with Melanie enables him to experience this sense of authority.
A. SORAYA (PROSTITUDE)
“Because he takes pleasure in her, because his pleasure is unfailing, an affection
has grown up in him for her,” Coetzee writes. This suggests that David is
interested first and foremost in “take[ing] pleasure in” Soraya. Although this has
led to a certain kind of “affection,” it is clearly superficial, stemming primarily
from the notion that—because he pays to sleep with her—David need only sit
back and enjoy what she has to offer, as if he’s entitled to her body. This then
shows that he is comfortable in relationships that have uneven power dynamics.
B. MELANIE ISSACS (STUDENT)
“Because a woman’s beauty does not belong to her alone. It is part of the bounty
she brings into the world. She has a duty to share it.” This graceless theory
further reveals David’s misogynistic sense of entitlement, making it clear that he
thinks he has some kind of right to Melanie’s body. Though she initially manages
to leave before anything happens, several days later she ends up having sex with
him. “Though she is passive throughout, he finds the act pleasurable,” Coetzee
writes, a sentiment that once again suggests that David likes to feel powerful
while his partners are “passive.
C. BEV SHAW
,Shira Woolf Disgrace 2021 2
“If she is poor, he is bankrupt,” Coetzee writes, ultimately reminding readers that
David’s attempts to feel sexually powerful do nothing to change the fact that he
is jobless and widely unpopular in his own community. In this way, then, the
author shows readers the damning effects of pursuing relationships for the sole
purpose of exerting power over another person—a pursuit that can only leave
one spiritually and emotionally “bankrupt.”
CHAPTER ONE
• David Lurie is the protagonist; he is a 52-year-old divorced man. We only access
consciousness of David’s mind even though he is not a first-person narrator, his
thoughts control the story. The pronouns ‘he’ not ‘I’ is used. This kind of narratology
could confuse the reader
• David is at a brothel visiting a prostitute called Soraya. She is a Muslim, and this
shows that he is not racist when it comes to women he sleeps with. Their sex is
regulated, organized and planed there is no spontaneity. They have been sleeping
together for a year and David finds her satisfactory. Their sessions are so regulated
he pays r400 for a 90-minute session.
• David is honest and openly pleads guilty. MIVE MOVMMMMM
QUOTE PAGE ANALYSIS RELATION
NUM
‘The 1 David has such a twisted version of sex and 1
problem of love. Shows that he is addicted to sex. He
sex’ uses the word ‘technical’, and that sex is just
a bodily function that he wants to relieve.
‘Have you 1 There is small talk between them as Soraya is 1A
missed me?’ motivated by commercial imperative, she
wants to please her customers
‘Desert of 1 A desert is dry, and nothing grows. His week 1A
the week’ is so mutinous tedious and empty that he
needs sex to fulfil his time
• David Lurie is very Eurocentric. Coetzee is begging the question of is someone who
has knowledge in Romantic literature too Eurocentric to survive in the new South
Africa. Since he is fluent in my European languages, Italian, French etc.
Whenever David thinks of sex and women, he thinks in a Eurocentric language. He
thinks of Soraya in French.
This is pushing us to ask if he is relevant in the new south Africa.
• David has no problem sleeping with Soraya but feels that she has no right to
comment on society because of her line of work. His opinion that her being a
prostitute is immoral but then what he himself is doing is immoral. This makes him a
hypocrite.
• We see an intelligent man in terms of his academic pursuit but in some ways, he is
very immature and childish as he thinks that Soraya is lucky to have found him. David
thinks he is a great lover and that she is lucky to have him as a lover
,Shira Woolf Disgrace 2021 3
‘He knows 2 A statement that shows arrogance. In fact, David’s
too much what we see is that he does not know a lot personality
about about himself in some ways. He tries to make
himself’ out what he does to be legitimate but in fact
he is a seedy old man. He is clinging to his
youth and acting as if he is 20 years old.
• When sex is described as ‘making love’ it shows that he is naïve and thinks that the
activity him and Soraya are partaking in is genuine, but it is not. David ridiculously
naïve thinking there a genuine affection between them
• David references the rule of saint benedict and Oedipus (classic Greek tragedy, he
slept with his mother and killed his father) because David is so Eurocentric and has
so much knowledge on European literature he always thinks of that kind of
literature. Using a Eurocentric term shows how unconnected he is with Africa.
‘Copulation 3 This is how he describes sex between him 1A
of snakes’ and Soraya. Animals ‘copulate’ as simply a
need that they just need to fulfil whereas
humans have loving relationships and ‘make
love’. David is a strange human being who
shows no respect for sex by describing it in so
many ways. He is used to having sex with
multiple women on so many different
occasions.
• David refers to Soraya as a ‘lose woman’. He sues her but he judges her and thinks of
her as woman who lacks morals. Shows complete hypocrisy. This is patrial mentality
of a white man. Soraya has a job as a sex worker to provide for her family. If she is a
‘lose woman’ then David is an ever ‘looser’ man.
• He has no one else to speak to so he unburdens himself onto a prostitute. He is very
indiscrete. Soraya keeps a strict division between her private life and does not
transgress boundaries.
• Coetzee develops the story, and we learn that David has a daughter with a ‘troubled
life’
The university he works at is not UCT. It is Cape Technical University formally known as Cape
Town University collage. Here we get an example of why Coetzee feels the new south Africa
is a disgrace. He was a professor of modern (Eurocentric) languages. Modern languages back
then did not mean indigenous African languages. At the university you cannot study
European languages. These languages are luxuries but not necessary/essential. In a new,
young country that is struggling to move forward there are more focuses on technical
languages. Everyone at the university that has had their job specification changed is allowed
to teach one course a year in a favoured topic. This year he is offering a course in Romantic
Poetry. They are the poems of dead white men from Europe. David is clearly unhappy in his
job that his passions are taken away. David feels communications are too functional.
, Shira Woolf Disgrace 2021 4
Q: is it appropriate for a country that was previously disadvantaged to focus mainly on
technical subjects?
1. There should be a balance of both. If you are wanting to improve a country some
aspects cannot be banned as everyone does not fit the same mould of a technical
degree.
2. It could not be appropriate in a new county. There is a reason and logic to an extent
why the government moved over to technology. If the government was seeking a
type of revenge and being vituperative (revenge and petty) then that is not a good
enough reason to ban European languages.
3. Technology is a focus to rebuild society. Focusing mainly on the technology will
accelerate the development of the country.
• David has written 3 books. His last book Is called Wordsworth (a romantic poem) and
the burden of the past (refers to apartheid).
‘a place of 5 This is a place where they meet for sex. 1A
assignation’ The plastic cups and sachet of sugar show
that this is not a permeant location. This
imagery is like a hotel room. It is very
impersonal. There is nothing relating to
them. These items are meant to be
disregarded. It could represent their futures
not going anywhere. Coetzee is showing
theses functional items
• Vermilion lipstick and heavy eyeshadow are the tradition makeup prostitutes wear.
‘Vermilion 5 David likes power of women. She does not 1A
lipstick and wear makeup anymore because of the
heavy commercial imperative (the optimal way to
eyeshadow’ behave to ensure your client comes back).
David does not like her wearing makeup
‘She 5 She understands what he wants very quickly. 1A
obeyed’ She never challenges him. ‘compliant’
meaning she meets his needs. ‘pliant’
meaning that she is flexible and willing to be
compliant.
• Emma Bovary is a romantic character who is written by Flobue. Again, David is
thinking of a character from a Eurocentric novel. She is a very sexual woman who
had numerous lovers. David thinks he is like her as he has so much sex. Not even
four pages in we have used 4 different terms for sex. He is degrading what sex can
and should be.
*He always uses the old Eurocentric literature to describe.
• David often does impulsive ‘reckless’ things. Often his actions have terrible
consequences. He ‘ought’ to do this but he is reckless and does something else.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller shirawoolf. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.76. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
