Analysis Of Lust In J. Coetzee's Waiting For The Barbarians

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In the darkest times in our lives, recalling the happiest memories is just human nature. Lust is easily seen to those under the spell as a lifesaver, but on the outside looking in, it is a storm of destruction. Love can become obsessive and change the grip on reality into a distorted and untrue perception of life itself. The power of love and lust is unavoidable in a lifetime, understanding how much love can control life is crucial to avoiding destruction of lives. In the story, Lusus Naturae, werewolf girl battles the feeling of loneliness and when finally given an opportunity for the love she desperately craves, disaster flounces. She states, “I detach myself from the brambles and came softly towards him. There he was, asleep in an oval of crushed grass as if I laid out on a platter. I am sorry to say I lost control”(Atwood,32). Overtaken by the feeling …show more content…

Other than distracting readers from this horrific torture, it gave insight to the thoughts of the old man. “ I am swinging loose. The breeze lifts my smock, and plays with my naked body. I am relaxed, floating. In a women’s clothes, I cannot help but be reminded of the lustful affair that the clothes bring me”(Coetzee,118). Love can make anyone do anything, no matter how crazy. The old man took a trip to the forbidden land just to show his love for the young girl. In the end, he failed to win over her love and paid the consequence when returning to the inn. By thinking of her while enduring the torture, he is trying to convince himself it was worth it, even though we all know she never cared for him like he cared for her. Love distorted the man's judgement, making him think crossing enemy lines was tolerable during “war time”. Love will never be strong enough to ease the real world conflicts. It is imperative that judgement is not driven by