“Disgrace” by J.M. Coetzee is among the first if not the only one with the setting of post-Apartheid Africa. From the time it was first published, it has brought about so much controversy that drew both political and emotional responses from readers and critics all over the world. Several individuals have openly condemned the novel and termed it as deceiving and racist while others ironically appreciated its author for painting post-apartheid South Africa as an anxious and comfortless place. But still, many, if not every one have to agree that Coetzee brilliantly incorporated quite a number of themes through the use of literary devices within the novel. However, the most dominant theme is the way the South Africans deal with change in the racial context after the end of apartheid. Coetzee also uses other literary devices to communicate the themes of inhumane animal treatment by humans, sexuality and violence.
Maltreatment of Animals
Coetzee tells the story through the mind of David Lurie who wrestles with the standards of the society to fulfill his sexual desires. His negative attitude toward animals acts as the greatest concerns of the story. He finds himself repelled at Bev Shaw, a woman who owns an animal shelter and works with animals the entire day. According to him, she is unattractive and always smells like animals. But when his daughter suggests he helps out at the shelter, he reluctantly agrees, a move that later transforms Lurie’s attitude towards animals (Bandici 38). Before he had the belief that animals had no souls, but his perception changed when the two sheep he had grown fond of were slaughtered for a party by Petrus. He finally puts it on himself the task of disposing of them with dignity the bodies of the dead dogs.
Coetzee uses irony to communicate the theme of animal abuse through the protagonist David Lurie. He is a lecturer that covers romantic poetry, but his life lacks passion entirely. He is a communications professor that ironically is the worst communicator. He is unable to communicate well with people most especially those closest to him like his daughter. He also idolizes Lord Byron, a famous poet making him regard himself as someone who can handle the sex problems correctly.
Racism and Violence
The theme of sexual abuse is also evident throughout the story. Besides, Rosalind gives her opinion regarding David’s sexual encounter with Melanie through the quotation, “The whole thing is disgraceful from beginning to end, disgraceful and vulgar.” “Disgrace” uses symbolism to communicate the idea of racism and violence through the rape of Melanie, a non-white woman by Lurie, who is a white man. Also, violence and racism are symbolized by the gang rape of Lucy, a white woman by three of Petrus’ kin who are black. This concept indicates the presence of racial problems and violence even after the end of apartheid with the most violent scene being that of Lucy’s rape ordeal. Also, the rising power of the blacks, while the whites seem to hold less power, communicates the theme of racism. This idea is evident in the character of Petrus, a black man who used to work like a dog man but is now a powerful individual in South Africa. He has the most influence in the area and also possesses the largest lands. Additionally, the quotation, “That is how it begins” is used to foreshadow the fate of the protagonist (Cornwell 307).
The Symbolism of Dogs in the Story
The dogs in Coetzee’s “Disgrace” are used as metaphorical devices to indicate the transition of various characters and also to act as symbolism. In the tale, the whites are the ones generally known to own dogs, and they find them quite restraining in agreement with the number one has. Lucy had several kinds of dogs, and she referred to them as working dogs that she sometimes used as pets. It is clearly evident that she earns quite much with them since the whites often use dogs for their protection against the new South Africa. Besides, Lucy even describes them as “part of the furniture, part of the alarm system” (Van Wyk Smith 22) indicating that the dogs also serve other purposes in the story.
The dogs in “Disgrace” have appeared twice. The first is during the confrontations between the Blacks and Lurie and when David and Lucy return from a walk only to find three men waiting for them. The dogs, in this case, are used to foreshadow Lucy’s rape ordeal because one of the three boys hissed at the caged dogs, but Lucy and David failed to sense the danger. Besides, Lucy and David were not aware of the imminent danger until when David realizes that something was not right in the house and releases the bulldog he had and runs after it towards Lucy’s house for her protection.
Conclusion
The main purpose of the dogs in the story is for protection, but it is also evident that they defend the whites more than the blacks. As a result, they qualify to be an excellent literary device for the character development in the book. However, the Europeans Are the ones believed to have introduced dogs to South Africa. They were specially brought in for protection and home defense against intruders. Besides, dogs defended mostly the properties of the whites in South Africa. All in all, Coetzee seems to paint a crisp picture in his book. But in the end, it is indeed a straightforward novel that exposes humanity and the problems faced by it.
Works Cited
Bandici, Adina. "Whites As Victims Of Racial Discrimination In J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace." Scientific Journal Of Humanistic Studies 7.13 (2015): 35-40. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Cornwell, Gareth. "Realism, Rape, And J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace." Critique 43.4 (2002): 307. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Van Wyk Smith, M. "Rape And The Foundation Of Nations In J. M. Coetzee's Disgrace." English In Africa 41.1 (2014): 13-34. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
