Book Review Title: The Vegetarian Author: Han Kang Translator: Deborah Smith [from Korean] Publisher: Granta, London, 2018 Pages: 183 Insanity can provide infinite opportunities to a novelist. The protagonist of Nobel laureate Han Kang’s Booker-winner novel, The Vegetarian , thinks of herself as a tree. One can argue with ample logic and conviction that trees are far better than humans. “Trees are like brothers and sisters,” Yeong-hye, the protagonist, says. She identifies herself with the trees and turns vegetarian one day. Worse, she gives up all food eventually. Of course, she ends up in a mental hospital. The Vegetarian tells Yeong-hye’s tragic story on the surface. Below that surface, it raises too many questions that leave us pondering deeply. What does it mean to be human? Must humanity always entail violence? Is madness a form of truth, a more profound truth than sanity’s wisdom? In the disturbing world of this novel, trees represent peace, stillness, and nonviol...
Hahaha..Just like the Iskcon guys sucks our Money in the name of service to God even money is not needed for the service of God
ReplyDeleteI borrowed the pic from ISKCON but did not intend to make fun of them. I was referring to the normal tendency of certain species (of people, particularly) who are bent upon sucking the blood of others when there are far better things to be extracted!
DeleteI know you're not making fun of them but everyone knows the truth they are sucking People's money in the name of service to god...I am not referring to God I am referring to the Iskcon Guys not only Iskcon but most of the Big temples in India they are taking it up as a business..
DeleteI too was wondering what you would be doing on the ISKCON site? I thought you were an atheist(who was by birth a Christian).
ReplyDeleteI was doing nothing at the ISKCON site, Sid. I just google for a picture of a smiling cow and google landed me at ISKCON :)
DeleteWow! What a parable! Milk is your cup of tea! Blood is your Boss' cup of tea! Ha..Ha.. What a Dairy! Hats of to you, sir.
ReplyDeleteWings, see how you applied it to life around you and found the small post relevant and meaningful. There are lots of people in the world who can find it similarly relevant and meaningful.
DeleteBy the way, I should make it clear that the idea is borrowed from a Malayalam poet whose name I can't recall.
That poem is one that perplexed me always, as biologically speaking nothing wrong in what the mosquito is doing. But from the view point of a creature that likes milk more than blood, its wrong. And I get confused thinking what is absolute right, if there is such a thing.
ReplyDeleteThe poem is not about absoluteness, Santhosh. At any rate, is there anything absolute outside the world of mathematical sciences? The poem conveys the idea that even when there are a lot of good things to be looked at many people would rather go looking for the ugly side of reality.
DeleteCows and mosquitoes don't read literature, you see. It's all for us, those who create meaning with words.
This is all about ordination, which you have narrated in few simple lines. And, that is why most of the people are "Nearer the Church, And Farther the God".
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, Excellent.....
You know, by mentioning ISKCON I was merely acknowledging the source of the pic. The post has little to do with religion, though it can be applied to religion as well.
DeleteYou are right: those who wear the trappings of religion on their sleeve are the least religious.
wow.. simple and a wonderful parable. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Deletehahhaa I see sir- ISKCON grabbed the unwanted attention out here.Anyways.. on the amazing story .. Ask a corrupt - Need Money or Nirvana .. and you know the answer :D .. my owl interprets so :)
ReplyDeleteThe advantage with allegories is that one can interpret it in a million ways. I'm happy I could elicit the natural that is very congenial to you.
DeleteI was hoping to read a gripping story ... but this one is brilliant :D
ReplyDeleteThis could be one of the shortest stories you ever read :)
DeleteHello sir. Actually like sangeeta said, i too felt there would be some short story ahead. But this one liner is subtle and far more effective.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a few words can convey much. Thanks, Ritesh. But I must acknowledge my debt to a Malayalam poet for this achievement.
DeleteLOL...people are more interested in petty things :P
ReplyDeleteMay not always be petty, Pankti. Sometimes the interests can be lethal.
DeleteWhat seems lethal is not always lethal when you look at it from the macro level. At least, that's my observation has been until now.
DeleteThis is absolutely brilliant.
ReplyDelete