Disgrace by J.M. CoetzeeMy review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book I think, but I'm not sure why I respond to it so strongly. I've been waiting several days to post my review and though I'm still unsure what it all means, here goes. First of all, the language is beautifully spare and evocative. Consider this passage:
" 'Lucy is our benefactor' says Petrus. A distasteful word it seems to him (i.e. David), double-edged, souring the moment. The language he draws on with such aplomb is, if he only knew it, tired, friable, eaten from the inside as if by termites. Only the monosyllables can still be relied on, and not even all of them."
David Lurie is a man who refuses to be accountable for his actions and his daughter Lucy is almost too accountable -- trying to deal with disgrace by taking on the problems of South Africa by abasing herself, going with the "flow" as it were. Our experience of living in Africa showed us how complicated a white person's response to a black person can be. Add in a little guilt and people do strange things. Incidentally, in the book when the character of Petrus is introduced, the author doesn't mention he is black -- the reader has to assume. The role that the dogs play is still a bit mysterious to me -- are they the lower rung of man's inhumanity to man? Does David begin to assume responsibility at this point? I'm still puzzled by his giving up his favorite dog at the last. Anyone who wants to email me their thoughts can reach me at greenridge10@comcast.net!!!
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