Fractured Selves: Identity and Existential Crisis in the Novels of J.M. Coetzee

J.M. Coetzee’s novels explore profound questions of identity and the existential crises that arise when individuals confront societal, historical, and internal turmoil. This paper examines themes of identity and existential crisis in Coetzee’s works, focusing on Waiting for the Barbarians, Life & Times of Michael K, Disgrace, and Foe. Drawing on the experiences of Coetzee’s protagonists, this study investigates the ways identity is shaped, destabilized, and redefined through interactions with power structures, moral dilemmas, and personal trauma. By analyzing Coetzee’s narrative techniques and the psychological depth of his characters, this paper argues that his works offer a nuanced interrogation of the human condition, presenting identity as fluid, fragile, and inextricably linked to broader sociopolitical forces.