Disgraced...

DISGRACE

J.M. Coetzee

Haunting. Yes, that is the best word to describe this Booker Award winning novel by South African - born Coetzee. This was another random selection off the reading cart one slow graveyard shift at the jail. Although, to be honest, I have heard of Coetzee and have been wanting to read some of his work for quite some time.

Bad news first: this is not a piece of fiction that will be remembered for its great storytelling ability. On the other hand, it will be recognized for its stark realization of society in post-apartheid South Africa. It is a wake up call to many who are not familiar with the terrifying political climate still alive today.

With a text that bleakly deals with rape from two different angles and the comparison between the actions of men and animals, this is not a “light” read. Like many of Coetzee’s contemporary’s, protagonist David Lurie is not an overly likeable character. His almost-rape of a student, questionable personal morals and inability to help his daughter are frightening. Coetzee analyzes not only politics but two sides of modern man; those who take by force and the weak intellectual. While this branches out on a bigger issue that Coetzee may not be trying to cover with this title, where are the dependable, honest, strong men in our society?

Overall, it was a text that left me sad. Sad of how “real” it was and how easy it is to overlook what is still happening in third world countries that do not make the news quite as much as the middle east.

Coetzee as an author has sustainability. It was a hard book to read due to content, not length or lexicon (a quick read, I think it took me two sittings). That said, it has a place in the canon of future generations primarily due the stark social and political implications.