Vol. 11, Issue 4, Part B (2025)

Abstract
The pursuit of supremacy has been a dominant theme since the dawn of human civilization, gaining momentum during the post-colonial era. Post-colonialism embodies a composite culture marked by torture, vandalism, rape, assassination, and brutality. In this context, J.M. Coetzee’s novel Waiting for the Barbarians explores the intellectual and moral ramifications of post-colonial brutality. Through a fictional narrative, the novel reveals how colonial powers justify the use of torture as a tool to uncover truth. Coetzee critiques the ideology that “torture creates pain, and pain leads to truth,” portraying it as a central tenet of colonial dominance. By artfully constructing his narrative, Coetzee illuminates the systematic dehumanization inflicted by empires under the guise of seeking justice and truth.