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...
very nice thought !
ReplyDeleteNice to see you here, Deepanshi.
DeleteAt the pace the world is we are not too far.. good one Tomiachan .. Happy new year
ReplyDeleteThe world is always with us. Happy New Year to you too, Sangeeta.
DeleteEveryday we open our eyes with a new hope and spirit. ..keep that spirit high and start ur hunt for a new path
ReplyDeleteAlready started. And we've begun to see light at the end of the tunnel.
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