Family is often a common theme shared in many of JM Coetzee's novels. Family members are usually distant from each other or relationships between parents and children do not proceed in a conventional manner. When Coetzee allows his members to relate to each other, they are either “strained” or tainted with “violence” (Splendore 148). This is particularly true in his novel Disgrace. Disgraced David Lurie, an English professor, is arguably forced to resign from his position at the university, because of this Lurie moves to his daughters' farm in the Eastern Cape. The couple appears to have a normal relationship most of the time, but there is obvious discomfort. Over time, the relationship begins to improve, only to be ruined by an attack. Lurie is locked up, beaten and set on fire, where Lucy, his daughter, is gang raped and becomes pregnant. This is when their relationship begins to deteriorate. Although Lurie loves his daughter, it is his failed attempts to understand her situation and his eagerness to push her in the right direction that lead to a colder, more distant relationship. Lurie's displays of love towards Lucy are undeniable. From the attack on Lurie shows an overwhelming love for Lucy. This is most evident during the attack, where Lurie very rarely shows concern for his own well-being, but shows enormous concern for Lucy's, even when his own life is in danger. As soon as Lurie regains consciousness and realizes that he has been locked in the bathroom, he begins to worry about "his child in the hands of strangers" and that "anything that happens to him will be etched into the marble” (Coetzee 94). With these thoughts in mind, Lurie attempts to escape by kicking...... middle of paper ......th end of novel Lucy and Lurie have become so estranged that they rarely speak or spend time together, it's all a result of issues surrounding Lurie's arrogance about his situation. Works Cited Coetzee, JM Disgrace. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. Print. Dooley, Gillian. JM Coetzee and the power of story. Amherst, New York: Cambria Press, 2010. Print. Kossew, Sue. “The Politics of Shame and Redemption in JM Coetzee’s Disgrace.” Research in African Literatures 34.2 (2003): 155 162. Muse Project. Internet. October 26, 2010.McDonald, Bill. Encountering Shame: Reading and Teaching Coetzee's Novel. Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2009. Print. Splendor, Paola. "'More Mothers and Fathers': The Family Text in the Novels of JM Coetzee." Commonwealth Journal of Literature 38.3 (2003): 148-161. The Journal of Commonwealth Literature. Internet. October 26. 2010