Monstrosity, Alienation and Impossibility of Communication in J. M. Coetzee's Novels

As faculty members at University of Isfahan, we wish to extend our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all those who have provided their support and encouragement throughout the journey of bringing this book to fruition. Monstrosity, Alienation, and Impossibility of Communication in J. M. Coetzee’s Novels is the title of Dr. Roohollah Datli Beigi’s postdoctoral research project conducted at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, and under the expert supervision of Dr. Pyeaam Abbasi. This project has been approved for publication by University of Isfahan under Letter No. 1403/53780, dated October 19, 2024. The project and the resulting book would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Office of Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology at University of Isfahan. Their dedication to promoting and advancing academic research has allowed us to explore new frontiers of knowledge in the area of humanism and contribute to our respective field of English literature studies. This book is a testament to the collective efforts of all those mentioned above, and we are deeply thankful for their contributions.

A portion of Chapter 2 (on Waiting for the Barbarians) has been previously published online in a different form as “Journey of the Magi(strate): Reading J. M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians through T. S. Eliot’s ‘Journey of the Magi’” in The Explicator (2025): 1–7. Similarly, a section of Chapter 3 (on Foe) has appeared online in a different form as “Monstrous Alphabet in J. M. Coetzee’s Foe” in ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews (2024): 1–9.

As a distinguished South African novelist, critic, and translator, J. M. Coetzee holds a position of great honor and esteem and is extensively discussed in academic circles around the world. Having a distinct place in South African literature, his novels have contributed significantly to the development of this genre in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Coetzee’s works are widely taught in undergraduate and postgraduate courses, both in South African and international levels, and engender substantial interest among postgraduate students. His literary achievements are also remarkably notable, as he became the first novelist to win the prestigious Booker Prize twice, once for Life and Times of Michael K in 1983 and again for Disgrace in 1999. While Michael K deals with a blurred hero and an unknown historical and geographical background where meaning is infinitely postponed or “can take up residence in a system without becoming a term in it” (Michael K 166), Disgrace depicts a white character who suffers from a kind of miscommunication and alienation in the post-apartheid South Africa. In 2003, Coetzee received the Nobel Prize in Literature.1 In the same year he published Elizabeth Costello (2003), in which the eponymous narrator, Elizabeth Costello, gives a series of lessons or lectures on a variety of topics, including the lives of animals and literary censorship.2 With the publication of Disgrace, Coetzee’s popularity widened beyond critical acclaim, capturing the attention of a more expanded readership. Following the publication of Disgrace and an outcry in South Africa, Coetzee moved to Australia, where he was granted citizenship in 2006.

Coetzee tackles complex ideas by embracing enigmatic, monstrous and deformed bodies, places, and concepts. Owing to this enigmatic feature, delving into Coetzee’s works has always been a challenging endeavor for Coetzee scholars. Through his body of work, Coetzee continually pushes the boundaries and challenges the assumptions surrounding these significant concepts. His exploration of the relationship between literature, politics, history, ethics, and the role of the writer reflects his commitment to engaging with the complexities of the human condition and the world in which we live. Therefore, Monstrosity, Alienation, and Impossibility of Communication in J. M. Coetzee’s Novels is a critical book whose primary objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the significance of Coetzee’s literary contributions and his exploration of these intricate and enigmatic ideas. The book will achieve this by focusing on some of Coetzee’s most important novels, namely, Waiting for the Barbarians (1980), Foe (1986), Disgrace (1999), Boyhood (1997) and Youth (2002), which serve as vehicles for exploring the depths of his already mentioned themes and ideas. The book will acknowledge the instantaneous and profound impact his works can have on readers, often leaving them uncertain about how to interpret or comprehend that impact. Coetzee’s writings possess a remarkable depth that necessitates careful exploration and analysis. As such, this book aims to provide readers with the tools and concepts necessary to comprehend and appreciate the intricacies of Coetzee’s works, allowing them to navigate the profound and thought-provoking world created by this outstanding author.

Although Coetzee is often categorized as a late modernist, there is a belief that postmodernism made its way to Africa with the publication of his first novel, Dusklands, in 1974. The novel, as David Attwell notes, “is an agonizing encounter both with colonialism’s violence, and with the discursive legacy it leaves to its heirs” (“The Labyrinth” 7). Dusklands is composed of two interconnected novellas that intertwine the depiction of Dutch imperialism in eighteenth-century South Africa (the second novella) with an examination of the underlying terror behind US policy in Vietnam (the first novella). This juxtaposition of narratives in Dusklands demonstrates Coetzee’s engagement with postmodernist techniques and themes. This novel is widely regarded as a seminal work that introduced a new postmodernist strain in South African fiction. Rather than offering a realistic or mimetic depiction of its contemporary context, the novel places significant emphasis on the exploration of discourse itself. This focus on discourse is characteristic of J. M. Coetzee’s writing style and sets the foundation for Dusklands where the interrogation of specific narrative modes becomes its primary objective. These narratives raise significant questions that have become central to the academic study of the novel itself. They explore how literary writing intersects with critical oppositions such as modernism/postmodernism, colonialism/postcolonialism, and center/margin.