Representation

The core concept of representation is rooted in the connection between the text and real life.

Questions regarding if fictions may represent reality or if characters are “fair” representations of

people may arise in this core concept. Coetzee creates a potentially dangerous representation of

the South American countryside in his novel disgrace. A power struggle between white settlers

and indigenous peoples may be seen through Lucy and her environment. Hostilities in the form

of isolations and physical/emotional damage plague Lucy throughout the novel. The reader may

see these attacks against Lucy as a representation of all South Africa people, painting them as

hostile unfriendly people. Although coetzee never stated that this is how the collective acts, by

creating that as the only example of their behavior may leave less informed readers with a

negative, potentially racial charged, view on South Africans. Representation does not only speak

on race. It may be used for all aspects that depict a concept to the audience. Thus there may be

negative and positive representations and an author may correctly or incorrectly represent a

concept. Misrepresentation may be done intentionally if it aligns with the message of the novel

and may be used as an area of deeper thought.