Dinner with the Isaac’s
As i finished reading Disgrace, i was drawn to one scene in the book that spanned over a couple page. The scene in which David has dinner with the Isaac’s family. I never would have thought that Mr. Isaac would invite David to have dinner with his family at their home. I couldn’t help but keep asking myself why, why would you do that. If Mr. Isaac was my father, he would have kicked David out the minute he came into his office and that last thought that would run through his mind is to invite him to his house so that he could meet the rest of the family. This dinner gave David a chance to meet Melanie’s younger sister and wife. You could tell that Desiree and her mother were not comfortable with David being there and that was the reaction i expected. It was Mr. Isaac’s attitude and lack of reaction that confused me. He had no problem with it and just acted like David, was just a normal person and not the man who “raped” his daughter. Although i was confused about Mr. Isaac’s reaction, this scene in the book seemed necessary because it is within this scene that David finally admits that he is sorry for what he did and regrets it. This is seen on page 171 when David says ” I apologize for the grief i have caused you and Mr. Isaac’s. I ask for your pardon.” This scene begins to show the shift David is making and how he feels and felt toward Melanie. He loved her and believed things could turn out differently. He realized what he did was wrong and finally accepted it and knew that he would have to live with it. It was the start of a turn around for David. I guess the dinner with the Isaac’s was important but I’m still shocked that it even happened
What the heck is Isaacs thinking?! My father would not have thought twice about inviting him over to meet his younger, beautiful daughter and wife! I think that it was an important turning point for David but just odd for Isaacs.
I was also shocked by Mr.Issac’s invitation to dinner. I’m glad that David apologized and is starting to change.
In my opinion, Lurie doesn’t have much of a turnaround. The fact that he picks up a young girl off the streets who is obviously on something, seeems to me to show he hasn’t changed to much even after the dinner with Isacs.
I was very surprised when Mr. Isaac’s invited David to dinner. Why on earth would he want someone like David anywhere near his family after what he did to his daughter? It doesn’t make any sense.I wouldn’t want David to come anywhere near my family members.
And yes finally, we get the apologize from David, long overdue but I guess its better late than never.
I was also surprised when Mr. Isaac invited David to the dinner. If I was father of “raped” daughter, I would have kicked him out and never see him again.
But I think that Mr. Isaac expected him to give a apologize about that. That’s why he invited David to the dinner.
Like everyone else, I was blown away by the dinner invitation, too. But to me this is another example of just how different some aspects of this society are from what we’re all used to. Like the trial scene, where David’s colleagues tell him they want to help him. Different part of the globe, different attitudes. Also, I noticed that while David did apologize for what he put the Isaacs through, he never said, “I’m sorry I did it.” I don’t think he’ll ever be sorry he did it. But at least we did get an apology from him in some form.
alright im gonna blow some minds here but i was NOT surprised about the Lurie/Isaacs dinner. I think Isaacs, wanted an apology from david no matter what, and if he had to resort to inviting him to dinner so be it. also it could just be mr. isaacs christian nature coming out. either way, interesting turn to the novel, coetzee could have made it very different for example isaacs could have killed lurie for revenge. but, thats all i have to say about that. you stay classy albany.
I thought that Mr. Isaacs was just trying to show to David how much better of a person that he is than David. Also I thought that Mr. Issacs would have been better off having a short discussion with David than submitting his wife and daughter to having to eat with their daughter’s and big sister’s rapist.