J. M. Coetzee’s Role as a Literary Activist: An Analysis

Abstract

J. M. Coetzee has made significant contributions to literature by delving into the complex legacies of apartheid in South Africa. His works are intricately connected with the lives of individuals who share a similar fragmented reality, making it difficult to analyze them in isolation. Through characters grappling with their agency and complicity, he lays bare the enduring legacies of apartheid and the moral ambiguities if the present moment. His works are shaped by various influences, including his surroundings, academic knowledge depicting the violent and racist nature of South African society. He discusses colonial and post-colonial discourse and breaks down the distinction between the central and peripheral.