The Vegetarian by Han Kang is a critically acclaimed novel that delves into themes of identity, societal norms, and the consequences of personal choices. Originally published in 2007 in Korean and later translated into English in 2015, the book has garnered significant attention, winning the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. Hang Kang is particularly hated by male communities online in her home country because of her fearless stance and writing for women. She is in new now because she won Noble last week.
The translator, Deborah Smith, is loved by the Korean public for her peculiar style of retaining some Korean words as such in transliterated form as they would lose the meaning or cultural context if translated literally.
Other than the issues of patriarchy and sexual repression, The Vegetarian also covers many universal and profound themes, especially individuality, identity and conformance.
The story is set in modern-day Seoul and follows Yeong-hye, a seemingly ordinary woman who decides to stop eating meat after experiencing a disturbing nightmare filled with images of human cruelty. This decision triggers a profound transformation in her life, leading to devastating consequences for herself and those around her. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of three different characters: Yeong-hye herself, her husband, and her sister, each providing unique insights into her psychological state and the impact of her choices on their lives.
We follow a woman named Yeong-hye, who decides to stop eating meat after having horrible dreams. This decision of hers starts a trajectory of events that fragment everybody's life around her. The novel has three parts, and each part unfolds from the perspectives of three individuals in her life.
- The first part titled 'The Vegetarian' is narrated in first-person by her husband.
- The second is titled 'Mongolian Mark' and the story proceeds from the perspective of her sister's husband in the third-person,
- while the third, 'Flaming Trees', is a third-person narrative focusing on her sister.
Even though the level of intimacy and empathy these central characters, from whose eyes we watch the curious case of Yeong-hye, display towards her differs vastly, it is not difficult to infer that the overarching composition of their attitude towards her is undeniably that of control. All these characters, in their ways, try to make decisions for her, judge her, and interfere with her personal freedom. While her husband and her immediate family, especially her violent father, are largely trying to make her bound to the gender roles that are promulgated by society, her sister's husband has an intention that's part carnal and part artistic. But her sister, who also wants her to return to normalcy, also realizes that it could even be herself in her place if the circumstances were different.
The novel begins by questioning the control that society exerts in a person's life and refuses to acknowledge the root causes of such decisions. From the beginning, it is pronounced that turning to vegetarianism is the reason for Yeong-hye's behavior, while no one bothers to find out the real issues that are far deeper and rooted. Her husband or her parents are not aware of it and don't even bother to find it out, even when they stare at their faces.
Han Kang's writing is noted for its lyrical prose and intense imagery, exploring the boundaries of the human experience and the struggle for autonomy in a conformist society. The novel raises disturbing questions about the nature of existence, the body, and the societal pressures that dictate personal choices. It is both a sensual and provocative exploration of the human condition, making it a powerful and thought-provoking read.
Overall, The Vegetarian is not just a story about dietary choices; it is a profound commentary on the complexities of life, identity, and the often-painful journey toward self-discovery.
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The Vegetarian by the latest Nobel-winner Han Kang is a complex work that is a melting pot of a variety of important themes about human life. It's devastating, intense and profound, which has the potential to keep its reader entranced for a prolonged period even after putting it down.
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