NARRATIVE STRUCTURE AND THE DIALECTICS OF VIOLENCE IN HAN KANG’S “THE VEGETARIAN”

Abstract

This study analyzes the unique narrative structure and the multifaceted manifestations of violence in Han Kang’s novel “The Vegetarian” (2007). The work is a triptych of three interconnected novellas, each employing a different narrative perspective to reveal the protagonist Yeong-hye through the eyes of those around her. This paper explores how this narrative device exposes various layers of violence, illuminates the protagonist’s ontological transformation, and ultimately enables a critical reflection on the patriarchal structures of Korean society. Through an analysis of powerful symbols such as the “Mongolian mark” (몽고반점), “Bleeding” (출혈), and “Flaming trees” (나무 불꽃), as well as Yeong-hye’s process of “becoming-plant” (식물 되기), this article demonstrates how the novel portrays an individual’s micro-resistance against the violent order of society