PXylem

J. M Coetzee's novel 'Disgrace' deals with human flaws and frailties. It depicts the vivid picture of social and political scenario that prevails in the post-apartheid South Africa. The novel also highlights subtle nuances of human emotions and relationships, governed by differences, discrimination and disparities based on gender, generation and race.

'Disgrace' as the name suggests stigma, degradation and humiliation, the novel unfolds a pathetic story about a middle aged professor who brings disgrace on himself and had to suffer humiliation by his indiscreet involvement with one of his students.

David Lurie, the main character of the novel, is a 52 year old professor. He earns his living at the Cape Technical University. Though he is a middle aged man yet he is strongly passionate about sex and women. He has been divorced twice and strives hard to satisfy his sexual needs. He is also unhappy with his professional life. Once he was a professor of modern languages but with the closing of Classics and Modern Languages, he is demoted to the post of adjunct professor.

David visits a prostitute, Soraya who gratify his sexual needs. Under certain circumstances, Soraya quits her profession and discards him. Consequently, he feels gloomy and perplexed without his rendezvous with Soraya. But his life takes a drastic turn when one evening while returning home, he meets Melanie Issacs, one of his students from his Romantics Course. He gets 'mildly smitten' with her striking beauty. Soon they develop an affair and during their intimacy he makes love to her.

But the problem arises when the young lover of the girl comes to know about their intimacy. Forced by her family and friend, Melanie files a complain against David of sexual harassment. However, David refuses to apologize and take no step to save defend himself. Finally he resigns from his post and visits his daughter Lucy's farm in Eastern Cape.

Lucy makes her living from kennels and selling flowers and vegetables she grows. She has an African Assistant Petrus, who is also her co-proprietor, to help her in gardening and looking after her dogs.

Then one day three African attackers loot them and rape Lucy, and kill her dogs. Consequently their life turns into hell. Lucy gets alienated with her normal life and lose all her vigour. By seeing her desperate and disheartening condition, David insists her to sell the farm. Nevertheless, Lucy insists to stays on and continue her life there.

This creates disharmony and unrest between father and daughter. Lucy says to David, "...what if that is the price one has to pay for staying on. Perhaps that is how they look at it; perhaps that is how I should look at it too. They see themselves as debt collectors, tax collectors. Why should I be allowed to live here without paying? Perhaps that is what they tell themselves?" Ultimately, David persuades himself and accepts Lucy's decision to stay on.


Disgrace wins the 1999 Booker Prize and the way Coetzee has treated many subtle issues in the novel, has made the novel worthy of it. The book is gripping and inspiring from the first go. The most striking feature of the Coetzee's creation 'Disgrace' is the intensity with which the writer presents the influence of one's deeds on one's life. Deeds follows one's destiny is what clearly depicted in the novel.

Next Book Review: Miguel Street by V.S Naipaul

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