Disgrace, by South African writer J.M. Coetzee, revolves around the mid-life crisis of David Lurie, a Communications Professor in Capetown. At 52 and entering the mid-afternoon years of his life, twice-divorced David pursues the fairer and younger sex with diminishing results. An affair once easily attained is no longer so; his conquests are reluctant, and the last one, an affair with a 21 year old student Melanie, has devastating consequences. Once Melanie claims the affair was not in her interest, the hounds of political correctness demand sincere repentance. David, a self-acknowledged dinosaur whose main interest is the life of the English poet Byron, refuses. After all, in the 18th century a man could pursue women and it was acceptable; why not now in the 20th? David is summarily dismissed from his position at the university.
In disgrace, David retreats to the country farm of his daughter Lucy. Lucy has returned to a peasant lifestyle, scratching a living from the land. The land here though is in the midst of a black neighborhood, and the white farmer is seen by some of the locals as a symbol of exploitation. Lucy and David are set upon by three men in a horrific home invasion attack. Lucy is raped and beaten, David is set on fire and beaten. In an expression of white guilt, Lucy refuses to pursue charges against the intruders. David, trying to come to grips with this attitude of forgiveness, succeeds partially. He begs forgiveness from the family of Melanie for the affair with their daughter. He revises his work on Byron from the conquests of Byron the young man to the perspective of one of Byron's jilted lovers. He volunteers at an animal shelter and sympathizes with the plight of the condemned dogs.
Disgrace is a novel about a man moving away from the hedonistic pursuits of youth and developing empathy and with a world outside of himself. While this empathy does not fully develop into love, the reader senses that love is the next evolution in the life of David.
In disgrace, David retreats to the country farm of his daughter Lucy. Lucy has returned to a peasant lifestyle, scratching a living from the land. The land here though is in the midst of a black neighborhood, and the white farmer is seen by some of the locals as a symbol of exploitation. Lucy and David are set upon by three men in a horrific home invasion attack. Lucy is raped and beaten, David is set on fire and beaten. In an expression of white guilt, Lucy refuses to pursue charges against the intruders. David, trying to come to grips with this attitude of forgiveness, succeeds partially. He begs forgiveness from the family of Melanie for the affair with their daughter. He revises his work on Byron from the conquests of Byron the young man to the perspective of one of Byron's jilted lovers. He volunteers at an animal shelter and sympathizes with the plight of the condemned dogs.
Disgrace is a novel about a man moving away from the hedonistic pursuits of youth and developing empathy and with a world outside of himself. While this empathy does not fully develop into love, the reader senses that love is the next evolution in the life of David.
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