| This thesis is a thematic study about J.M.Coetzee's five novels:Waiting for Barbarain, Disgrace, Youth:Scenes from Provincial Life, Life and Times of Michael·K, and Foe. Of these five novels, Disgrace, Youth:Scenes from Provincial Life, and Life and Times of Michael-K all take the turbulent post-colonial society of South Africa as background. The background of Waiting for Barbarain is concealed by the author, and often regarded as an allegory of culture conflict. But in the novel, the setting and plot both always point to the reality by multi-leveled metaphor. Foe is a recreation based on Robinson Crusoe. Robinson is an early period representative figure of English or European colonists. Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe, created and praised him as a hero, while Coetzee deconstructed this hero completely in Foe. So in this way Foe is a version which deconstructs the classic colonialism version. Based on the reasons above, the writer of this thesis puts these five novels together, and tries to explore the theme of them and reveal their social significance by employing post-colonial theory and through detailed analysis.The thesis consists of five parts. "Introduction" gives a brief review of Coetzee's literary creation, and makes a comprehensive summary of the studies of J.M.Coetzee's writings at home and abroad. Chapter One analyses Waiting for Barbarain, Disgrace, and Youth:Scenes from Provincial Life. The analysis of Waiting for Barbarain reveals the conflict in living style, language and value system between the imperial colonists and the natives. The thesis also points out that despite differences, there are only different in form and no noble or humble civilization in essence, and any strong one should not press its value standards on others by any pretext and excuse. The analysis of Disgrace reveals the usurped injury of the colonized and the returned disgrace of the colonist under the colonial system, and conveys deeply the author's concern and sorrow to the result which the colonial system brings to the colonial people and the offspring of the colonist. The analysis of Youth:Scenes from Provincial Life reveals a youth who was born in South Africa and full of literary dreams exiled himself, but he can't get rid of the loneliness and confusion originated from his special cultural identity under colonial system. Chapter Two is based on the analysis of Waiting for Barbarain, Life and Times of Michael·K, and Foe. The analysis of Waiting for Barbarain reveals that civilization and barbarism is relative, the justice always stands close by the disadvantaged group who is plundered and harmed, and the civilization represented by the empire that carries out hegemony and cruel torture should be criticized. The analysis of Life and Times of Michael·K reveals a humble individual's hard struggle and sorrow in a racial segregation society full of battles, meanwhile conveys the author's survey of social authority and reflection about history over again. The analysis of Foe tells that Foe is not only a brave deconstruction of the imperial hegemony represented by Robinson Crusoe, but also of the author's privilege. Chapter Three first reviews and illuminates briefly that the South African racial segregation system, which is always Coetzee's novels'social realistic dimension, then based on Chapter One and Two, the thesis shows that Coetzee attaches his social ideas to his novels, and finally points out three apocalypses to realize an ideal society contained in the novels.Conclusion points out again that Coetzee's novels all reflect serious social problems, and their themes are all abstracted from bloody and cruel reality. Though most of Coetzee's novels often take South Africa as its background, their significance has already overstepped the geographical area, and become universal. In his works, deep humanistic concern for the common people in the bottom has important realistic value and significance to construct a more humanistic society and harmonious world nowadays. |
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