More Disgrace

On page 77, Lucy suggests that her father attempt to fill his time by assisting Bev Shaw in the animal clinic.  He eventually agrees, but when he does, he says this, “All right, I’ll do it.  But only as long as I don’t have to become a better person.  I am not prepared to be reformed.”  I think this goes back to the quote I mentioned from the beginning of the book that gives temperament as being one of the hardest parts of the body.  While David has had to move out to this area, he is not ready yet to have it change him.

On page 99 there is a depiction of David giving Lucy a hug after their incident, “When she does not come, he puts aside his blankets, stands up, and takes her in his arms.  In his embrace she is stiff as a pole, yielding nothing.”  The obvious comparison here goes back to what we have called the “rape/non-rape scene” between David and Melanie, “Not rape, not quite that, but undesired nevertheless, undesired to the core.” (page 25)  David experiences this feeling twice, but with Lucy it is more serious because it involves the rape of his daughter and not a seemingly uninterested sexual encounter with Melanie.

 A passage I found particularly interesting is on page 102 and involves Bill Shaw picking up David from the doctor: “Bill Shaw believes that if he, Bill Shaw, had been hit over the head and set on fire, then he, David Lurie, would have driven to the hospital and sat waiting, without so much as a newspaper to read, to fetch him home.  Bill Shaw believes that, because he and David Lurie once had a cup of tea together, David Lurie is his friend, and the two of them have obligations towards each other.”  Considering the negative thoughts David has about the Shaws, Bill still feels close enough to David to retrieve him from the doctor.  Or maybe it has nothing to do with David, Bill was instead doing it as a favor to Lucy.  I think David’s utter surprise that someone who he does not feel close to would simply perform a good deed is interesting.  I think even today people are surprised when someone is willing to go out of their way to help them, and they always feel there is a catch attached to this favor. 

I cannot figure out why David feels the need to do what he does with the bodies of the dogs from the animal clinic.  I don’t know if it’s out of guilt, and if so, from what?