Introduction and Purpose of "Deciphering J.M. Coetzee"

Welkom! The purpose of this blog is to explore, indepth, the works and writings of J.M. Coetzee, the South African, Post-Modern, Post-Colonial author, who has penned more than twenty literary works and written numerous critical literary essays for our time.

Through this blog, I will specifically analyze 5 different J.M. Coetzee novels, examining different aspects of his writings including his Post-Modern / Post-Colonial writing characteristics, different themes he explores within his texts, and how we, as readers, respond to his writings. All of these explorations will culminate in a final presenation examining, in depth, how J.M. Coetzee explores the idea of liberation: What exactly does it mean to be Liberated and How does J.M. Coetzee address those issues within his novels and for the reader. Hopefully, through these studies we can more easily "Decipher J.M. Coetzee" and better understand the dealings of his literary works.

This blog is being written in conjunction with an English Graduate Seminar Course through California State University, Northridge, focusing specifically on the works of J.M. Coetzee and his major contributions to the literary world. I hope you will follow me on the journey of "Deciphering J.M. Coetzee."

Liberation in the Literary Works of J.M. Coetzee

Please click the titles of J.M. Coetzee's works listed below for an in-depth discussion of how J.M. Coetzee explores liberation in his various literary works as I am examine them. Feel free to share any comments regarding the posts that might help further the discussion of J.M. Coetzee's writings:

1) Dusklands

2) In the Heart of the Country

3) Life and Times of Michael K

4) The Lives of Animals

5) Disgrace

For my final thesis on the works of J.M. Coetzee Violence and Liberation: The Characters and Readers of J.M. Coetzee please find the tab listed above Violence, Liberation and J.M. Coetzee or click here.