RESISTANCE TO CHANGE: EXPLORING DAVID LURIE’S STRUGGLE WITH AGING AND SOCIAL SHIFT IN J.M COETZEE’S DISGRACE

Abstract [English]

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and organizations hold on to outdated hierarchies.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