Disgrace question

It's not you. It is. But that's the double edged sword with Coetzee, he writes about the grit and lows of life, but he does it masterfully.

Disgrace is a brilliant depiction of a life come undone. It is an accurate portrayal of real life because it shows how we are not in total control of our own lives. We do the best we can as flawed and imperfect humans against the forces that can control our lives and overwhelm us. We are not masters of our own fate. We don't always succeed.

From the moment when the main character accidentally encounters the prostitute who takes care of his needs weekly, his life unravels through his own errors and the happenstance of daily living.

Coetzee was pressured to leave South Africa because this book was eventually judged to be too critical of blacks. The charge against him was led by liberals, including Nadine Gordimer, who would not tolerate any depiction of South African blacks that wasn't glowing and idealized.

Coetzee equally depicted blacks the way he portrays whites and any other group - flawed and imperfect. He shows them as people.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It deserved the Booker prize and he definitely deserved the Nobel prize.

I completely agree, Disgrace had a huge impact on me after reading it. I studied it this year at University and found the majority of my class hated it. I really couldn’t fathom how they could hate such an honest and beautifully written text. They claimed it was ‘too depressing’ and I don’t think they quite grasped how true to life his writing is. All sorts of major issues and taboos are addressed within the novel including racism, rape, sexism, and homophobia. It’s vital that we acknowledge that this is happening in our societies.
However, as well as feeling melancholic after reading Disgrace I was found I was really irritated. The novel really put rape and the treatment of women into perspective. For example we are given the definitive rape of Lucy, she was undeniably abused. Then there’s Melanie, she was by no means physically forced to sleep with Melanie but she was young and clearly uncomfortable, confused and unhappy, and David Lurie recognised this but took advantage of her anyway. Through, the characters of Melanie and Lucy I think Coetzee really emphasises that rape isn’t about saying no, it’s about the omission of yes.
(Oops, sorry for the rant)

I've just come back from South Africa. My last trip. I've been transitting South Africa for work every month for the last three years and developed friendships there. Purchasing a Coetzee each trip at Johannesburg airport seemed a decent thing, if somewhat random to do, as the bookshops in the airport may have this... ot that... its chance what you get. It seems fate gave me 'Disgrace' as my last.

For me it is a parable of South Africa. I get the impression that Coetzee was forced out of South Africa by the reaction to this book. If he was then I've missed the furore/scandal cal;l it what you will. But I can see why it might bring liberals like Gordimer out in apoplexy.

Disgace IS the parable and future of South Africa.

Like most of Coetzee's novels, I would call it enlightening, not depressing.

Life as it is can be depressing if one starts reading it more substantially. Disgrace can also be seen as a lesson in more ways than one and you can think of it as a weight you use to strengthen your emotional muscles. Personally, I believe we need more books like that.

I agree with Ashley - the book is a modern masterpiece. Coetzee was horrified that the new ANC government glorified the collective versus the individual. He's one of the few winners who deserved the Nobel prize. In that tight sparse style, he writes an unforgettable novel