The story Disgrace by J.M Coetzee
An American plus-size model, Carre Otis, once explained that “While women across the globe have many differences – language, culture, environment – our similarities are undeniable, and the impact of abuse and oppression affects us all.” The quote captures the aspect of oppression and abuse that has known no bounds of color, race, ethnicity, or religion as extended to women from different parts of the world. Women, for a long time, have experienced some forms of oppression, thus making the gender more of a tribe. The concept is well represented in the story Disgrace by J.M Coetzee. The narrative is set in the post-colonial era in South Africa. As represented in the modern South African community, society is a blend of the formerly oppressed and oppressors in terms of apartheid. Despite the ending of the horrors of racial inequality, the challenges of women seem to be constant in society. Two women are introduced in the narrative that shows the concept of oppression and abuse. That is Melanie and Lucy. Rape and constant manipulation by the men in their lives illustrate the extent to which the women lack their basic rights. Melanie is a timid girl that has somewhat allowed the men in her life the power to manipulate her. On the other hand, Lucy has remained strong in the society where she farms and sells produce. Nonetheless, abuse is used as a tool. The characters of Lucy and Melanie are vital in learning of the oppression, abuse, and control of women through objectification and sexual violation.
The character of Melanie is created to capture the concept of oppression of women in society through objectification. The character of Melanie is specifically developed to represent a girl with no control in a society where men have the power. As Coetzee introduces the character, “She smiles back, bobbing her head, her smile sly rather than shy. She is small and thin, with close-cropped black hair, wide, almost Chinese, cheekbones, large, dark eyes…Does she know he has an eye on her? Probably. Women are sensitive to it, to the weight of the desiring gaze” (Coetzee 12). Melanie seems to have an idea of the ideal woman as being timid, well-dressed, and easily manipulated. To Lurie, the role of Melanie in his life appears to be satisfying his male gaze. She is timid and sensitizes to his gaze and requests hence allowing him to easily objectify her. The establishment of the male gaze thus allows Lurie to easily manipulate and affect the life of the student in many ways. The male gaze thus becomes the oppressive tool used in the life of Melanie by Lurie. As Coetzee explains through the character of Lurie, a woman’s beauty does not belong to her alone. It is part of the bounty she brings into the world. She has a duty “o share it” (16). The statement then indicates that the beauty of a woman is ideally her oppression in society. The constant need and appeal to share her beauty become the oppression of a woman. Despite being young and a student, the male gaze creates an oppressive society for Melanie. Therefore, not only Lurie but also her boyfriend controls her. Based on her beauty, the men assume that she cannot speak or advocate for herself in any way. The society in which Melanie lives has accepted the power of the male gaze and the impact on women. The women in society have been oppressed through the simple aspect of the male gaze that allows the men to manipulate her in different ways. Apart from the male gaze, the gender control of Melanie is achieved through abuse.
The oppression and control of the Character of Melanie are also achieved through sexual violation. The character of Melanie is timid and fails to openly express her emotions. However, she is constantly exploited by the teacher. Nonetheless, the interaction is not violent rape. As the”author of “The Politics of Rape: Traces of Radical Feminism in Disgrace by J.”M. Coetzee,” Lianne Barnard explains, “David avoided violence a”d yet the”undesired” shows a lack” of consent” (20). The interaction between David and Melanie is not expressed as violent. Nonetheless, it lacks the consent required; thus, it is classified as rape. Therefore, necessary forms of retribution are expected as punishment for the offender. As explained in the “Rape and Violence of RepresentatCoetzee’sM Coetzee”s Disgrace” by Carine Mar”Shouldn’t “Shouldn’t Melanie have stood up for herself is the question that echoes the dominant response to gendered crimes such as rape and domestic violence in Wester” societies” (79). The sexual violation of Melanie causes her to be more timid in the narrative. Based on the story, she withdraws from society. However, the male violator is proud and does not take the time to apologize to her in any way. As illustrated in the interaction at the committee, “He does not feel nervous. On the contrary, he feels quite sure of himself. His heart beats evenly; he has”slept well” (Coetzee 41). In the hearings, Lurie shows not form of remorse or care for his actions towards his students. To an extent, Lurie feels self-righteous and untouchable. The concept of sexual violation seems to give the man a form of approval as the young girl is affected. The character of Melanie is defined as being oppressed and controlled through sexual violation and lacks the social justification or support to make sure the accused is punished. In the same way, the concept of rape and violation is used to control the vibrant character of Lucy.
The character of Lucy is also viewed as being oppressed through the aspect of rape and marriage. Unlike Melanie, Lucy represents the modern woman that has established her role as both a provider and a self-sufficient person. Lucy runs a farm and sells her produce for a profit; thus, in the traditional sense does not marriage or a male provider. As Coetzee explains the “I wasn’t made for marriage, Lucy. You have seen that f”r yourself” (59). Lucy is sufficient and strong in the society she is established. However, the character is broken through rape. As Mardossian explains, “The violence directed against Lucy should be read not just as an instance of the black on white violence that is seen as defining racial relations in post-apartheid South Africa but as the context through which other sites of gendered violence get”normalized” (80). The context of rape is normalized in society as it is used as a tool to silence and break women. Women such as Lucy in the society do not view men as the sole providers and protectors in the society. However, the sexual violation is somewhat used to rem’nd her of ‘h’r position’ as a woman in the society. The violence and aggressive attached to the rape of Lucy is expressed as the hatred that goes deeper and beyond just a robbery gone wrong to the aspect of genderedLucy’snce. Lucy’s position on sexuality and freedom of women creates a target on her back, thus the increased chances of an attack. The character of Lucy before and after the rape is slightly different as she looks for protection from a man that was probably involved with the rape. Following the event, the aspect of oppression is achieved as Lucy is forced to marry Petra for protection. The crime seems to cause fear in a strong character, thus leading to the oppression of the women.
The oppression of the two characters is achieved through the notion of gendered disgrace despite victimization. The women in the narrative are victims of sexual violence and have been subjected to a shameful and acceptance and acceptance status. As illustrated in “Feminine Shame/Masculine Disgrace: A Literary Excursion through Gender and Embodied Emotion” by Cami“le Nukra, “the primary difference is that where shame is embodied, or an emotion fundamentally of the body, disgrace is facialised and thus able to rid itself of the body in its capacity as the privileged representative of the face. Meanings of shame and disgrace diverge noticeably when the two terms come into contact with gender” (310). The concept of shame and disgrace is attached to the gender of the victim. The aspect of the disgracer being privileged is carried through the narrative by Coetzee. In the case of Melanie, she does not stand up for herself and calls for other men, the father, and boyfriend, to demand justice. Similarly, in the case of the rape of Lucy, the character is ashamed and sees no point in reporting the crime to the police. As Lucy explains, the event is private and sees no point in making it public (Coetzee 93). The character of Lucy remains relatively strong. However, both Melanie and Lucy have been affected by the actions of the men that have taken advantage of them.
The oppression of women in the narrative by Coetzee is expressed through sexual violation. The intimate act of sex is used to embarrass women and control them. In the narrative, the men that perpetuate the acts gain control of the women. Melanie and Lucy have different characters as the former is timid and less expressive compared to the latter. However, the aspect of oppression seems to be similar for both women. Despite the difference in race and social class, rape and sexual violence are used to control the women. Moreover, the women experience the same aspect of disgrace and shame despite being the victims of the terrible acts. The gendered violence represented in the narrative expresses the bigger problem in society. The constant shaming of women and violence used to oppress women is evident. The characters presented by Coetzee and intriguing and different, thus capturing the somewhat global aspects of the oppression of women in society. Disgrace by Coetzee acts as a social reflection of the role of women and different strategies used to constantly impact the gender negatively. Unfortunately, there is no happy ending for the women as none of them gets the justice required. The ending of the text continues to illustrate the lack of change in society in relation to gendered violence and calls for acceptance of social challenges.