Disgrace Chapter 8 Summary

  • Lucy and David take Katy and two Dobermans for a walk. They talk more about David's scandal. Turns out that Melanie is from this neck of the woods.
  • David notices that Lucy has a lot to say about women. This is the first time they've talked about his love life, like, ever. David feels a little weird about it, but he's also like, well, if I don't talk to her, who do I talk to?
  • David asks Lucy if this is the life she wants. She sort of shrugs it off and says "it will do" (8.40).
  • On Saturday, they wake up at 5am in the freezing cold and go to sell vegetables in the farmer's market. Petrus helps them load the car but stays behind.
  • David thinks about how he used to take care of Lucy, and now she's showing him a world that's totally new to him. Cape Town suddenly feels really far away.
  • We meet some of the locals: Tante Miems and Oom Koos sell potatoes near them. Then we meet Bev Shaw. She is "dumpy" and has "no neck" (8.52). David isn't into her at all because he doesn't like women who don't try to be attractive.
  • We learn that Bev Shaw runs the Animal Welfare clinic. Lucy and David go to visit her there. David is grossed out by the animal smells.
  • We meet Bill, Bev's husband, who is "equally squat" (8.55).
  • Lucy thinks that David is being cocky about being from the city and says she can tell that he wanted her to do something better with her life and that he doesn't like the way her lifestyle reflects on him.