Group, Nation, State: J.M. Coetzee and Problems of Nationality in Postcolonial Countries

Abstract

J.M. Coetzee's adoption of Australia as his permanent home is puzzling in view of his preoccupation in his work with South Africa. His autobiographical works Boyhood (1997) and Summertime (2009), however, as well as Diary of a Bad Year (2007), which, I shall argue, has autobiographical elements, show that the protagonist, whose name is John Coetzee, had experiences in South Africa which have pre­vented any simple attachment to the country, where group loyalties and antagon­isms often replace love of country. The protagonists of Boyhood and Summertime are of Afrikaans descent though their first language is English, which has further problematised "nationality" (a word which I consider carefully) for them. Senor C in Diary of a Bad Year has come to see the state - all states - as potentially tyrannical. A further and important matter which is discussed is the relationship of the author with his protagonists in these works.

Opsomming

Dit bly 'n raaisel waarom J.M. Coetzee Australie as sy permanente tuiste aanvaar het in die lig van sy preokkupasie in sy werk met Suid-Afrika. Sy outobiografiese werke Boyhood (1997) en Summertime (2009), asook Diary of a Bad Year (2007), waaroor ek kan aanvoer dat dit outobiografiese elemente bevat, toon dat die prota­gonis, met die naam John Coetzee, ervarings in Suid-Afrika gehad het wat enige eenvoudige verbintenis met die land sou voorkom het, waar groeplojaliteit en anta­gonisme dikwels die liefde vir die land verplaas. Die protagoniste van Boyhood en Summertime is van Afrikaanse afkoms, alhoewel hulle eerste taal Engels is, wat "nasionaliteit" ('n woord wat ek noukeurig oorweeg) vir hulle verder problematiseer. Senor C in Diary of a Bad Year sien die staat - alle state - as potensieel tirannies. 'n Verdere belangrike saak wat bespreek word, is die verhouding van die outeur met sy protagoniste in hierdie werke.