The Vegetarian Reflection

LMC 2200: Intro to Gender Studies

November 22, 2017

                                        Reflection 4

        The Vegetarian takes place in a society very much ruled by a patriarchal structure that offers no sympathy or support for choices that are deemed un-traditional and non-appropriate for the culture the characters live in. This is especially true regarding a person’s bodily autonomy and individual choices they make regarding how to live their lives. Yeong-hye’s decision to become a vegetarian demonstrates this patriarchal push-back as the people in her life, especially the men, berate and manipulate her without really every trying to understand her decision.

        The novel begins with Yeong-hye’s husband’s, Mr. Cheong, describing her being “unremarkable in every way” and making it seem like their marriage was merely out of convince and because that what was expected of a man and a woman in a patriarchal society (1-5). Throughout their marriage, it seems like Yeong-hye has gone along with whatever decisions Mr. Cheong has made, however, as soon as she makes her own decision on how to live her life he immediately rejects her even more than before. He gets angrier, “ “What the hell are you up to now?” I shouted” (17), as Yeong-hye defies him and continues to do as she wants, representing a patriarchal society’s belief that husbands are the dominant partner in a marriage and wives’ and women’s’ voices should not be heard.

Yeong-hye’s extended family reacts to her decision of becoming a vegetarian with disgust and embarrassment. Her father is especially violent to her and does not even think that his years of abuse and his daughter witnessing him murdering an animal would have influence Yeong-hye’s behavior now. Her father just sees her as second-class citizen who is embarrassing her family and needs to respect and follow the orders of him and her husband, “Don’t you understand what your father’s telling you? If he tells you to eat, you eat!” (45). Yeong-hye, being a woman, is not considered intelligent enough to be able to make her own choices regarding her body and choices even by those close to her.