Initial Responses to WFTB

As I began to read the novel, Waiting for the Barbarians, I was immediately struck by the lack of details that the author decided to provide. The setting is unclear, distinct names are not given, and all details remain ambiguous. A reason for this ambiguity might be a way for the novel to become relatable to different times, people, and places. Despite unclear details, the torture scenes are incredibly graphic and gruesome. Feelings of disgust, sympathy, and sadness are felt while reading the elaborately detailed tortured scenes. J.M. Coetzee might have written these scenes with such detail to enable the reader to understand the true pain that these “barbarians” felt and also to experience the compassion the Magistrate felt for these humans being treated in such a horrifying manner. The novel is also written in first person, which lets us as readers explore the complicated and conflicting mind of the Magistrate. The Magistrate is a conflicted and confused character that is facing situation that he does not know how to approach. As readers, we are able to actually understand this central character better than he can often understand himself.

As for other characters of the novel, there is an obvious tension and conflict of interest between Colonel Joll and the Magistrate. The Colonel seemingly has no problem torturing others and seems to be a man with little empathy. In comparison, the Magistrate is a very compassionate character although he often wishes he were not. He not only wishes he were not compassionate, but he is actually ashamed of this aspect of himself that he cannot eliminate. When he helped the young boy prisoner, the Magistrate explained, “I feel my heart grow heavy. I never wished to be drawn to this.” (7) This succumbing to compassion will be one of the major themes and ideas throughout the novel. I also believe that this internal conflict of the Magistrate will serve as a prominent theme as well. The Magistrate attempts to be passive and simply do his job; yet he cannot deny his urges to help others and do what he feels is morally right.