An Abject Other in an Abject Environment: A KristevaianAnalysis of J. M. Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K

J. M. Coetzee, the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Life and Times of Michael K., has created acaptivating work of literature that presents the raw reality of human existence without any embellishments.The book's protagonist, Michael K., is vulnerable when he encounters repressive forces brought on by hisunforgiving surroundings. This essay aims to evaluate Coetzee's work in light of Julia Kristeva's theory ofabjection. In addition to exposing Michael K to a variety of expressions of the abject, his long journey alsocauses him to change into the abject other, which causes him to become estranged from both society andhimself. The subject of the inquiry is the matter that is being examined. In the end, Michael is portrayed as anabject "Other" due to his lack of a name, ambiguous motivation, and silence. As this analysis shows, theseelements highlight his alienation from the symbolic order and his closeness to the realm of the abject. Thereis constant violence, filth, and desolation in the surroundings. This study shows how Michael K, amarginalized person living in a poor environment, presents an ethical conundrum to the system that isresponsible for encouraging violence and poverty. Michael exhibits quiet resistance in spite of the hostileenvironment he is in. He refrains from engaging in violent acts, puts his own survival first, and on occasionshows compassion for both people and animals. However, this resistance is rooted in a character who hasbeen brought to the brink of abjection by the oppressive forces in their environment, leading to a complexinteraction between the environment and the individual.

کلیدواژه ها:

Abject ، abjection ، abject other ، ethics ، vulnerability