just focuses on himself. His material that talks about the Romantic Poets, in this case Lord Byron, does not to fit with the culture in where he lives now.
When David Lurie encounters a problem with his student, Melanie Isaacs, he feels confident that he will pass it. Although he knows that it is a serious
matter, he does not feel nervous. It is seen when he does not care with others’ opinions; he believes everything is in his hands.
He does not feel nervous. On the contrary, he feels quiet sure of himself. His heart beats evenly, he has slept well. Vanity, he thinks, the dangerous
vanity of the gambler; vanity and self-righteousness. He is going into this wrong spirit. But he does not care Coetzee, 1999: 47.
Furthermore, David realises that he is somehow in the wrong side but he still
keeps on his way. He does not want to be the guilty one. He continues to have a strong belief in his points about this “sexual harassment” matter. It seems that this
quality brings David to the wrong direction. He becomes a person who does not want to see every single problem from the others’ point of views. He just wants to
see it from his own perspective. From the conversation between David Lurie and Mr. Isaacs, it seems that
David can manage his emotion well. He tries to explain the story of ‘sexual harassment’ that happens to Melanie Isaacs from his point of view. At first, he
thinks that he is a bit nervous about it but he is not. “He had expected to be tense, but in fact finds himself quite calm” Coetzee, 1999: 165. This statement
becomes unusual and surprising when it is looked from the serious matter that he talks about. In this way, the character of David Lurie has a strong confidence on
himself, although, it is known that it might be a misled confident feeling since he neglects the situation and condition that he deals with.
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4. Authoritative
A person, who is counting on himself higher than the others, has a tendency to be the authoritative one. Believing that his abilities are not always
found in other people, one can simply think that his opinions are the best and suit for everyone around him. The character of David Lurie here experiences it along
the story. David Lurie is considered as an authoritative person who wants everybody
does like what he commands. In relation with his daughter, he always tries to show his authority towards her. He wants his daughter, Lucy, to obey his demand.
He thinks that Lucy is too young to choose her own path of life so that he forces Lucy to do what he wants Coetzee, 1999: 133-134. It can be seen that he is a
person who wants everything under his control. He thinks his daughter does not choose the right path for herself. In this case, David wants to make his daughter
understand that he is the one who has a power to decide everything in her life. As his daughter, Lucy sees his father as an authoritative one. She thinks
his father tries to impose his understandings towards her. For her, it is not a good thing because she is also a person who has the same rights to choose her own path
of life. It is seen when Lucy talks to her father. ‘Don’t shout at me, David. This is my life. I am the one who has to live
here. What happened to me is my business, mine alone, not yours, and if there is one right I have it is the right not to be put on trial like this, not to
have to justify myself-not to you, not to anyone else Coetzee, 1999: 133.
In this case, Lucy does not agree with her father’s belief that children must obey the parents’ expectations and children must follow the instructions from their
parents in a way to choose the path of life. She does not like her father to be an
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authoritative one. However, it is clearly seen that David Lurie in his daily life continues to show his authority towards others even his own daughter. The
negative reaction towards his manner does not reduce the ‘bad’ way he treats others.
From the fact in the story that he asks Petrus to be the keeper of Lucy’s house without Lucy’s permission is indicated how authoritative David is. He does
not want to hear Lucy’s opinion about this. According to him; it is the good solution for Lucy. He does not really care with Lucy’s feeling Coetzee, 1999:
152-153. It seems that David does not take a lesson from what he and Lucy experienced before. He keeps on practicing his habit.
5. White
The pale-skinned race has its own position and meaning in the society. White means the powerful one in a particular society, but it can be different in
another society. Here, the character of David Lurie is depicted as a white person. “He is sitting in the front room, watching soccer on television. The score is nil-all;
neither team seems interested in winning. The commentary alternates between Sotho and Xhosa, languages of which he understands not a word “ Coetzee,
1999: 75. From this extract, it can be seen that David Lurie cannot speak the local language in which he lives. He just speaks the languages where he comes from,
“he speaks Italian, he speaks French, but Italian and French will not save him here in darkest Africa” Coetzee, 1999: 95. In addition, he masters English very well.
His ability in mastering English is not a doubtful fact. It is clearly seen how quick
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