The Schooldays of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee
An absolutely brilliantly written book by Coetzee, this is a sequel to the book “Childhood of Jesus”. Set in a utopian land with strong socialist laws – guaranteed employment, lifelong learning opportunities, and you name it, it attempts to break open the cracks in even such a utopian society. As always, spoiler alerts.
The main characters – Simon, Ines and David, have come to this strange land on a ship. They first come to a city called Novella in the first part of the sequel. It turns out David is not related to Simon or Ines, but Simon decides to look after the boy David and reunite him with his mother. David’s mother is not Ines, but in a manner similar to Simon, decides to play the role of mother to David. As they try to enroll David in school, they find that David is either autistic or has learning disabilities, and the authorities try to put him in a special school. This is when the imperfections in this utopian society begin to show. Until then, Simon and Ines were given jobs as soon as they arrived in the city, and move around without worry as the city has free public transportation. But now facing the prospect of giving up their son to a residential school and getting enrolled in a census which will always have him on the authorities’ radar, they choose to flee to the city of Estrella, which is where this book begins.
They find work on a farm and the boy enjoys his days of freedom running around the farm. But eventually, Ines wants him to get an education, and having given up on the regular schools and instructors, they decide to enroll him in an academy of dance. A very interesting scene when they bring David to enroll him in the academy and as they meet with the dance instructor. Never before do they see the boy respond to an adult the way he responds to the dance instructor Ana Magdalena – who is the second wife of a talented musician who lives in an entirely different world.
And, on the same day as the enrollment, they meet another of the fairly interesting characters this book is made up of – Dimitri. Dimitri, the caretaker of the museum, an unkempt loser, who claims to be deeply in love with Ana Magdalena, a fact that he shamelessly shouts out to everyone. But this is where Coetzee throws open this novel. An academy of dance, owned by a dysfunctional couple, a brilliant musician and his young and talented wife situated in a utopian society where every facet of life is controlled and regulated. It is as if Coetzee is saying – no matter how perfect a society is, it is impossible to hide those who rebel. An academy of music that claims to give a wholesome education while they actually “call down the stars” through dance.
David takes to this new academy and submits to the care of Ana Magdalena. Simon, Ines and David have a temporary respite as they don’t feel the need to be anxious about David though Ines remains skeptical of the academy of dance. And finally, it all ends with the murder of Ana Magdalena at the hands of Dimitri. Dimitri confesses and expects no mercy. But here is where Coetzee demonstrates the other side of the utopian state.
Though he confesses his guilt and demands maximum punishment, the state refuses his request. What should have been an open and shut case with his confession, now draws on to a full-blown trial. The judges demand to know of his motive, of why he killed Ana Magdalena, refusing to accept his story of passion and madness driving his to murder her. Though he refuses counsel, they insist he defend himself or hire a defence counsel. They sentence him to a psychiatric hospital. The maximum sentence in the land, is hard labour in the salt mines, which is what Dimitri demands but is denied.
Coetzee breaks open the view of David in the entire matter – how a child perceives this murder. How, Dimitri, someone whom he knew, murdered Ana whom he adored almost as a parent. The child sees something in the murder that no one else does until finally Dimitri requests Simon to uncover a collection of papers that he has stored and the authorities do not yet know of. They disclose an affair between Dimitri and Ana. Initially, it is impossible for Simon to believe that such two diametrically opposite people could be lovers – the unkempt loser Dimitri and the almost perfect Ana. But apparently, that is the truth.
A large part of the book is the relationship between David and Simon. Simon in his infinite patience, is David’s guardian and educator. David claims Simon does not understand him and therefore refuses to dance for him, though all reports indicate David has become an accomplished dancer in the academy. Simon thinks David holds him in contempt and is prepared to live with that. But he finds from the owner-musician at the academy of dance, that David instead reveres him despite his insistence that Simon will not understand his dance.
Coetzee paints this insanely dysfunctional story in this utopian land where one might imagine that o suffering would exist, no crime of passion would be ever be conceived let alone be committed. But still there are these people who crash among every pillar of the system, unable to adjust and adapt. Simon, who has given up on his own happiness, for the sole hope of being David’s guardian. Ines, who might be frigid and seeks to control David while pushing Simon out of her life. David, who temporarily found fulfillment in dance, now finds himself unable to adapt with a utopian but totalitarian state that would eventually hunt him down and bring him back.
The main characters – Simon, Ines and David, have come to this strange land on a ship. They first come to a city called Novella in the first part of the sequel. It turns out David is not related to Simon or Ines, but Simon decides to look after the boy David and reunite him with his mother. David’s mother is not Ines, but in a manner similar to Simon, decides to play the role of mother to David. As they try to enroll David in school, they find that David is either autistic or has learning disabilities, and the authorities try to put him in a special school. This is when the imperfections in this utopian society begin to show. Until then, Simon and Ines were given jobs as soon as they arrived in the city, and move around without worry as the city has free public transportation. But now facing the prospect of giving up their son to a residential school and getting enrolled in a census which will always have him on the authorities’ radar, they choose to flee to the city of Estrella, which is where this book begins.
They find work on a farm and the boy enjoys his days of freedom running around the farm. But eventually, Ines wants him to get an education, and having given up on the regular schools and instructors, they decide to enroll him in an academy of dance. A very interesting scene when they bring David to enroll him in the academy and as they meet with the dance instructor. Never before do they see the boy respond to an adult the way he responds to the dance instructor Ana Magdalena – who is the second wife of a talented musician who lives in an entirely different world.
And, on the same day as the enrollment, they meet another of the fairly interesting characters this book is made up of – Dimitri. Dimitri, the caretaker of the museum, an unkempt loser, who claims to be deeply in love with Ana Magdalena, a fact that he shamelessly shouts out to everyone. But this is where Coetzee throws open this novel. An academy of dance, owned by a dysfunctional couple, a brilliant musician and his young and talented wife situated in a utopian society where every facet of life is controlled and regulated. It is as if Coetzee is saying – no matter how perfect a society is, it is impossible to hide those who rebel. An academy of music that claims to give a wholesome education while they actually “call down the stars” through dance.
David takes to this new academy and submits to the care of Ana Magdalena. Simon, Ines and David have a temporary respite as they don’t feel the need to be anxious about David though Ines remains skeptical of the academy of dance. And finally, it all ends with the murder of Ana Magdalena at the hands of Dimitri. Dimitri confesses and expects no mercy. But here is where Coetzee demonstrates the other side of the utopian state.
Though he confesses his guilt and demands maximum punishment, the state refuses his request. What should have been an open and shut case with his confession, now draws on to a full-blown trial. The judges demand to know of his motive, of why he killed Ana Magdalena, refusing to accept his story of passion and madness driving his to murder her. Though he refuses counsel, they insist he defend himself or hire a defence counsel. They sentence him to a psychiatric hospital. The maximum sentence in the land, is hard labour in the salt mines, which is what Dimitri demands but is denied.
Coetzee breaks open the view of David in the entire matter – how a child perceives this murder. How, Dimitri, someone whom he knew, murdered Ana whom he adored almost as a parent. The child sees something in the murder that no one else does until finally Dimitri requests Simon to uncover a collection of papers that he has stored and the authorities do not yet know of. They disclose an affair between Dimitri and Ana. Initially, it is impossible for Simon to believe that such two diametrically opposite people could be lovers – the unkempt loser Dimitri and the almost perfect Ana. But apparently, that is the truth.
A large part of the book is the relationship between David and Simon. Simon in his infinite patience, is David’s guardian and educator. David claims Simon does not understand him and therefore refuses to dance for him, though all reports indicate David has become an accomplished dancer in the academy. Simon thinks David holds him in contempt and is prepared to live with that. But he finds from the owner-musician at the academy of dance, that David instead reveres him despite his insistence that Simon will not understand his dance.
Coetzee paints this insanely dysfunctional story in this utopian land where one might imagine that o suffering would exist, no crime of passion would be ever be conceived let alone be committed. But still there are these people who crash among every pillar of the system, unable to adjust and adapt. Simon, who has given up on his own happiness, for the sole hope of being David’s guardian. Ines, who might be frigid and seeks to control David while pushing Simon out of her life. David, who temporarily found fulfillment in dance, now finds himself unable to adapt with a utopian but totalitarian state that would eventually hunt him down and bring him back.
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