Bhaswati Das
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee is a novel that deals with the protagonist David Lurie, a twice-divorced professor. The story is set in postapartheidSouth Africa where Lurie is struggling with the loss of his relevance. His refusal to acknowledge old age and change insociety leads to his downfall. Viewing Lurie through the lens of an individual who opposes change, this study considers Lurie’spersonal downfall against the backdrop of the changing society. It looks at Lurie’s unwillingness to change behaviour, revealingthat his obsession with youth and discomfort with changing social norms are the result of a larger crisis of his identity andentitlement. The novel, taking place during the turbulent times in South Africa when the government changed from apartheid todemocracy, shows Lurie’s downfall that is characterized by dwindling authority, professional disgrace, and physical aging. Hisdownfall is in fact a representation of the larger cultural crisis. By way of close reading, the study sought to find out how Lurie’snonconformity to the evolving social norms, especially in terms of race and status, is a sign of the deeply ingrained ways that peopleand organizations hold on to outdated hierarchies. Besides that, the study wants to point out the fact that Lurie’s eventually, veryreluctantly, turning towards the vulnerable side of himself (like his work at the animal shelter) signifies the redeeming power ofthe limited recuperation in the midst of the systemic transformations. By associating Lurie’s personal battle with the socio-politicalsituation in post-apartheid South Africa, this research sheds light on the resistance to change that the novel depicts and takesimplications for the understanding of the issues of identity, power, and transition in the case of transitional societies.