The Vegetarian

by

Han Kang

Meat

Meat represents human capacity for violence against which Yeong-hye is rebelling. This is most notably seen in the first section of the book, in which Yeong-hye envisions herself killing some kind of animal and eating…

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Plants

In contrast to meat, which represents violence, plants (mostly flowers and trees) come to represent Yeong-hye’s desire to lead an innocent life. After Yeong-hye throws out all of the meat in the house…

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Bras

Bras represent Yeong-hye’s resistance to societal conventions and boundaries. Even before she becomes a vegetarian, Yeong-hye explains to Mr. Cheong that bras are restrictive and make her uncomfortable, and she often chooses not to…

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