Oppressive David Lurie’s qualities as the representation of the coloniser’s qualities
locals also have the same rights as human. Certainly, the way he sees the local people influences his acts as follows:
‘No, not now’ she says, struggling. ‘My cousin will be back’. But nothing will stop him. He carries her to the bedroom,…like a rabbit when
the jaws of the fox close on its neck. So that everything done to her might be done, as it were, far away Coetzee, 1999: 25.
This actually shows his opinion about the local people that the locals are more meaningless and powerless than him, so the locals must follow his will. It seems
David is oppressing the locals both mentally and physically. It also happens when David Lurie gives his students the materials, which
always talks about European people: the language and the literary canon. He never discusses the local traditions, customs, even languages. In his eyes, the locals and
all their stuffs are worthless to discuss and analyse. “Two weeks ago he was in a classroom explaining to the bored youth of the country the distinction between
drink and drink up, burned and burnt” Coetzee, 1999:71. It is not without any reasons that He decides to give that kind of materials to his students. He is proud
of his Eurocentric views and he wants to spread it to the locals. However, it can be said that he practises the brainwashing while he teaches the materials to his
students. It is seen that he is oppressing the locals’ mindset with all of his knowledge and understanding.
At this point, segregation and racial discrimination are undeniable. The European people only respects the one who is white. This attitude directly makes
the different races separated and it especially becomes an advantage to a particular group. Here, David expects the locals trust and obey the European view without
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questions. He concerns about his own benefits and does not give the locals a way to lift up their life.
David is happy when he finds that Petrus comes to his daughter’s house as a servant. He feels that Petrus deserves to get that kind of job. He assumes that the
locals are only able to handle unimportant things. It is clear in the following quotation.
‘You will meet him. Petrus is my new assistant’…the more things change the more they remain the same. History repeating itself, though in a more
modest vein. Perhaps history has learned a lesson…good If this is to be what he leaves behind-this daughter, this woman-then he does not have to
be ashamed Coetzee, 1999: 62.
It can be seen that David completely believes in Eurocentric concepts. He thinks the position of Petrus, as the assistant in his daughter’s house is suitable. He has
an opinion that the European people must be the leader of the rest. It seems that David does not want the locals to be the master in their own lands. In this way, he
is oppressing the rights of the local people to have a better life. A sudden change in the system of society makes David uncomfortable. He
finds it difficult to cope with the reality that the locals have seized power. It is seen when the master-slave relationship is now shifted
‘Give Petrus a hand. I like that. I like the historical piquancy. Will he pay me a wage for my labour, do you think?’ ‘Ask him. I’m sure he will…By
Eastern Cape standards he is a man of substance. Ask him to pay you. He can afford it. I’m not sure I can afford him any more’ Coetzee, 1999: 77.
Obviously, David is cynical about the situation. He never imagines that the local people can hold the economic control. He thinks that the locals are always at the
bottom level in society. The fact that he must work at Petrus’ land implies that he
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is no longer powerful enough to oppress the local people. However, it shows how oppressive David Lurie is. He does not want to be the oppressed but he wants to
be the oppressor. David loves to think that he is the one who has the authority to control and
to give an order to the others. He does not like it when he finds that Bev Shaw instructs him to help her and give him a certain command. It is seen in the
quotation as follows. ‘The belt,’ she says. He passes a belt around its body and she buckles it.
‘So,’ says Bev Shaw. ‘Think comforting thoughts, think strong thoughts. They can smell what you are thinking.’ …They can smell what you are
thinking: what nonsense ‘There, there’ he murmurs Coetzee, 1999: 81.
It seems that David Lurie’s prestige to have a professional job is now broken. The
reality that he is just a volunteer in the clinic is annoyed him. He realises another measure of dominance is social status, and his position cannot support him to
remain in high social status because he is now on the lower end of the scale. It is interesting to note that David’s desire is oppressing the others. He knows that he
cannot oppress the others in direct action. Thus, he continues to practise it by having a low opinion of others’ perspectives and mocking the way Bev Shaw
speaks. It concludes that David is an oppressive person in whatever situation.