Are we talking about the book or Coetzee?!?!??!?!?

I feel that the New York Times is going about this all wrong, just as everyone else seems to be doing as well. You see I think people seem to get 'lost in translation when talking about Coetzee. Many people say ya he's a racist, I've read Disgrace and there's no doubt in my mind about what his views are. Well the real question is, 'IS THE BOOK RACISTS?!?' Not Coetzee. After reading Disgrace for myself I can see how people can argue both facts, either it is or isn't racists, because Coetzee doesn't outright saw racists remarks, but you can 'read between the lines' and figure it out for yourself.

I myself do feel that the book has an underlining racists tone, but I don't think that, that makes Coetzee racists. Just because someone is writing about something in a book, doesn't necessarily mean that they believe it, or it's true. I have what I believe is a perfect explain, well at least I think it. Last semester I took a class and we were reading poems by Langston Hughes, and when I was Reading one of the poems I realized the narration was that of a woman. I thought it was very strange, but that a man was writing as if he was a woman. I always seemed to think that poems had to be "true," but than after discussing it with the class, we all realized that just because a writers saying something, doesn't make it true. A WRITER MAKES THINGS UP, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!!!!! People really have to get over the fact that just because the books racists, that makes him racists. What about a book in which someones writing about a crazy serial killer, does that make the author a crazed serial killer? I think we all know the answer, well at least I hope we do. I just find it apolling to make Coetzee seem like a racist, due to his writings, he had an idea for a good book and he ran with it. I have no problem with people discussing the books as being racists or not, but not Coetzee. I feel that branding him a racists makes it seem as though a writer can't write what they truly want, because they forever will have to live up to that book and stand by it's views and principals. I think it's a very dangerous line that should not be crossed, and I think people need to leave him alone.

It seemed all the websites I went to had to also say that Coetzee along with the book were racists. One website stated, "The biographical similarities between David Lurie and JM Coetzee may be superficial. But one cannot help being curious about the extent to which they share similar views. JM Coetzee's work certainly fits him into the same mould as Lurie, a man who “has never been afraid to follow a thought down its winding track” (page 76, Disgrace). (ref.1) I did find one website that made a point not to talk about Coetzee and racism, "I did not wish to accuse Coetzee of racism (simple or otherwise). Rather, I attempted to present an honest discussion on a particular reception of Disgrace in the context of the end of apartheid." (ref. 2) While this website didn't talk of Coetzee, it had to make a point not too. Others wise I have a feeling he might have jumped on the band wagon and went with the fact that Coetzee racists, and he realizes that it's a very controversial subject, so he choose just not to get involved all together.

All and all I feel that the book itself had many racists undertones, but Coetzee himself isn't racists. Well let me clarify that, I'm not sure if he is or not I've never meet or talked to the man, so only he really knows. All I'm saying is a book shouldn't define what a person is or what they believe in.

Sources:
Refrence 1:http://www.chimurenga.co.za/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=52

Refrence 2:http://www.oxonianreview.org/issues/3-3/3-3-5.htm