The Vegetarian

Summary

The Vegetarian tells the story of Yeong-hye, an ordinary South Korean woman whose decision to stop eating meat after experiencing disturbing dreams sets off a chain of increasingly unsettling events. Her husband initially sees her refusal as an inconvenience, while her family responds with anger and attempts to force her back into conformity. As Yeong-hye withdraws from conventional expectations, her behaviour becomes increasingly radical, challenging the roles imposed on her as a wife, daughter, and woman. Told through the perspectives of her husband, brother-in-law, and sister, the novel gradually reveals the psychological and emotional pressures beneath her transformation. Han Kang explores bodily autonomy, violence, desire, and the struggle to resist a society that demands obedience. The novel raises unsettling questions about whether rejecting social conventions can become an act of liberation, even when that resistance carries devastating consequences.