The document summarizes J.M. Coetzee's novel "Waiting for the Barbarians". It discusses the two main characters, the Magistrate and Colonel Joll, and provides analysis of their roles. It also examines the character of the barbarian girl who is tortured and disfigured. The relationship between the Magistrate and the barbarian girl is explored, how she represents the "other" and how he tries to understand her pain. The document is submitted by Sejal Vaghela for their Master's program and provides biographical information about Coetzee and an analysis of the themes of the novel.