Superior The General Qualities of David Lurie

The way he thinks about Melanie Isaacs is the evidence showing his belief in his superiority. He thinks that the other person, like Melanie, does not have enough capability to think deeply. It is clearly seen in the quotation taken from the novel. Melanie would not have taken such a step by herself, he is convinced. She is too innocent for that, too ignorant of her power. He, the little man in the ill-fitting suit, must be behind it, he and cousin Pauline, the plain one, the duenna. They must have talked her into it, worn her down, then in the end marched her to the administration offices Coetzee, 1999: 39. He even counts the qualities that Melanie has are below the people around her. It shows how he sees himself and how he sees other people. He is sure that Melanie is weak and inferior. From the eyes of David Lurie, his daughter is not capable to choose the ‘right’ significant other for her. He does not really know how the way of thinking of his daughter is, realising that there is also his blood in her, the superior blood. “ He has never been able to understand what Lucy sees in her; privately he wishes Lucy would find, or be found by, someone better “Coetzee, 1999: 60. David secretly questions the ability of his daughter in this case. He is not sure that Lucy has the quality of superior. However, his opinion towards Lucy’s lover indicates his superiority towards her. The fact in the story states that David Lurie does not like his daughter’s friends. He feels that they are all inferior and he assumes that Lucy cannot choose good friends for herself. It can be seen when he thinks about a friend of his daughter. He has not taken to Bev Shaw, a dumpy, bustling little woman with black freckles, close-cropped, wiry hair, and no neck. He does not like women 31 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI who make no effort to be attractive. It is a resistance he has had to Lucy’s friends before. Nothing to be proud of: a prejudice that has settled in his mind, settled down Coetzee, 1999: 72. The way he judges a person by her cover is the manifestation of superior feeling he has. The ugly appearance of his daughter’s friend is the only reason to strengthen his belief. In the small conversation between David Lurie and Petrus quoted, it is immediately seen how David’s way of thinking is. Moreover, it can be the clue guiding to the fact of what kind of person David is. He is left with Petrus. ‘You look after the dogs,’ he says, to break the silence. ‘I look after the dogs and I work in the garden. Yes.’ Petrus gives a broad smile. ‘I am the gardener and the dog-man.’ He reflects for a moment. ‘ The dog-man, ‘ he repeats, savouring the phrase Coetzee, 1999: 64. The quotation above gives the impression that David is happy because Petrus indirectly notes his inferiority. It seems that Petrus glorifies the superior feeling of David. Being the person who has a responsibility to take care of dogs is not a respectful duty in David’s view. Nevertheless, in his mind, it does not matter for Petrus; he deserves to have duty like that because he is black people. He does not have to make Petrus understood his position in this case, Petrus already knows it. He thinks that his personal belief telling that he is the superior creature, once again, is admitted. 32 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

7. Arrogant

Here, David Lurie is depicted as an arrogant person. This quality might be considered too negative for a character like David. It concludes the way David behaves in his daily life. The reaction that he shows when the committee from the University wants to hear the explanation from David about Melanie and him is surprising and unpredictable. He refuses the committee’s suggestion. He even says, ‘don’t tell me what to do, I am not a child’ Coetzee, 1999: 41. It indicates that he is arrogant, he does not want anyone to destroy his dignity. He is angry if anyone wants to disturb his privacy. He feels not in a good mood even when Aram Hakim, his friend for years, shows his sympathy in this case Coetzee, 1999: 42. The conversation between David and his lawyer does not end well because David is insulted by the advice of his lawyer. It is clear in the following quotation. ‘What kind of undertakings?’. ‘Sensitivity training. Community service. Counselling. Whatever you can negotiate’. ‘Counselling? I need counselling?’...’To fix me? To cure me? To cure me of inappropriate desires? Coetzee, 1999: 43. This quotation immediately shows that David is the person who does not want to admit his failure. He is too arrogant to say that. He is sure that it is no need for him to take the counselling service. Lucy realises that her father puts his dignity on a high level so that she can hardly believe that he wants to do like what the committee suggests. He is an arrogant person she knows. Her opinion about her father can be seen in the following conversation 33 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ‘What kind of compromise ?’. ‘Re-education. Reformation of the character. The code-word was counselling’. ‘ And are you so perfect that you can’t do with a little counselling? Coetzee, 1999: 66. Moreover, her prediction about the real fact in this case is true. It is not because there is no opportunity to fix the situation but it is all about her father’s arrogance.

8. Old

The character of David is described as an old person. It can be seen from the sentence, ‘for a man of his age, fifty-two, divorced, he has, to his mind, solved the problem of sex rather well’ Coetzee, 1999: 1. In the beginning of the story, David is 52 years old. He deals with all the adult’s stuffs and he enjoys his life. He believes that his nature is fixed since he is an adult person. ‘ That is his temperament. His temperament is not going to change, he is too old for that….’Coetzee, 1999: 2. The fact that David Lurie is an old person can be seen through the direct comment in the novel. “Technically, he is old enough to be her father; but then, technically, one can be a father at twelve” Coetzee, 1999: 1. It seems that the author wants to show David is created as an old person. His daughter’s case, then, makes David realise that he is an old person. If there is no incident in Eastern Cape, he will not feel that. ‘For the first time he has a taste of what it will be like to be an old man, tired to the bone, without hopes, without desires, indifferent to the future’ Coetzee, 1999: 107. 34 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI