Age of Iron

Brief Overview

The novel «Age of Iron» by John Maxwell Coetzee tells the story of an elderly white woman, a former classics professor, living in apartheid-era South Africa. She discovers she has terminal cancer and begins writing a letter to her daughter, who has emigrated to America. In the process, she confronts the brutality and injustice of the apartheid regime. A homeless man named Vernon enters her life and becomes her companion. Through their interactions and the events unfolding around them, themes of racism, human dignity, and moral responsibility are explored. The novel delves into the protagonist's inner experiences and her attempts to make sense of what is happening in the country and in her own life.