Disgrace & Disapproval
David’s hate for Petrus explained by the disapproval of Petrus’ behaviour
Most of us have a person in our life with whom we cannot spend too much time with
because of their personality, which is just too much like ours. The protagonist David Lurie, a
disgraced professor who left his position because of his affair with a student, disapproves of
one of the employees on his daughter Lucy’s farm whom he believes has something to do
with the rape of his daughter. However, by disapproving of Petrus’ character he indirectly
disapproves of his own past behaviour, making David a more sympathetic character than he
first appears.. Firstly, the reason behind the similarity in behaviour will be examined
Secondly, a brief analysis will show why this is indirectly a disapproval of his own behaviour
and finally, the two most important reasons behind David’s hate will be explained with their
behaviour.
Firstly, David Lurie and Petrus have similar personality traits which are mostly illustrated by
their behaviour, At first, David thought he and Petrus would be friends. Friends have similar
personality traits (p.1, Dodgson), so this means they have a similarity in personality which
causes the disapprove of Petrus’ behaviour.
‘Yes, by the sea, if she wants.’ He is irritated by Petrus’s habit of letting words hang in
the air. There was a time when he thought he might become friends with Petrus.
Now he detests him. Talking to Petrus is like punching a bag filled with sand. (p. 152-
153, Coetzee, 1999)
As is said in this quote above, David thought they would be friends, so this proves the fact
that they have a similarity in personality. The reason that they are not friends is because of
the fact, that David cannot stand his own behaviour which he sees in Petrus’, this will be
discussed later on. The following quote will also illustrate the good first impression David
had about Petrus.
[David says] ‘I have just travelled up from Cape Town. There are times when I feel
anxious about my daughter all alone here. It is very isolated.’ ‘Yes,’ says Petrus, ‘it is
dangerous.’ He pauses. ‘Everything is dangerous today. But here it is all right, I think.’
And he gives another smile. Lucy returns with a small bottle. ‘You know the
measurement one teaspoon to ten litres of water.’ ‘Yes, I know.’ And Petrus ducks
out the low doorway. ‘Petrus seems a good man,’ he remarks. (p. 64, Coetzee, 1999)
This example highlights the fact, that their opinions are alike, in the way that they both find
the place where Lucy lives dangerous even though Petrus says he thinks it is all right. It also
illustrates the good impression David had. They have similar personality traits, which are
seen in their behaviour, that turned into hate from David’s perspective and also illustrates
that David’s disapproval of Petrus’ behaviour is an indirect disapproval of his own behaviour.
Secondly, David Lurie rapes Melanie Isaacs, but when Petrus seems related to the rape of his
daughter, Lucy, he disapproves of this behaviour. David cannot stop himself from raping
