Best of Week: Michael K as God

As noted in class, there may possibility be numerous biblical references that might imply that Coetzee may be likening Michael K to God. I'm not using this topic because I feel that I actually believe this 100%, but rather because I found it to be an interesting topic that we discussed in class. So... our logic likening Michael K to God were that he said "I am what I am", someone said that his escape/getting over the wall out of the camp was a "miracle", his escaping from the "system", which supposedly cannot be done, and probably other things that I cannot recall at this moment. So with the first two, we see two instances out of an entire book where somebody might make a vague references that might possibily liken Michael K to God. Or not. I know that I've personally used the phrase "It's a miracle" before, and I've heard other people use it before, and I know that God was not really part of the equation when the phrase was used. Just because the Bible says it, does not mean that everyone else that says it must be referring to the Bible. With the "I am what I am" one, it's more likely that it might be a religious reference. I say this because its an actual line, and not just a one word phrase. I'd probably liken Michael K more to Buddha through this line, and not God, however. If I recall correctly, Buddha also said something along this line (And if not Buddha, another eastern religion.) Michael K's experiences through the book vaguely remind me of Buddha's journey. However, once again, this does not necessarily mean that Coetzee is likening Michael K to God (or Buddha). He might be likening Michael K to Popeye the sailor man. Or he might not be likening Michael K to anyone at all. As for Michael K escaping the system... I really don't think he's actually escaped the system. If he's truly escaped the system, he wouldn't have been constantly pulled into those camps. The system still has a major influence on him. At the end of the book, he's in a city. He's living inside the creation of the system. Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe he really isn't in the system. But, if this is the case, is there really a "system" at all? As we discussed in class, post modernism doesn't apply in all time periods; only recently has post modernism applied due to internationalism. Michael K lives in the 1940's. Is it not possible that the reason he's outside the system is because the system is not developed, or does not exist at all? Would it then really be a miracle to say that he's outside the system?