The Female Body and Consumerism: an Ecofeminist Reading of the Vegetarian by Han Kang and the Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood

Abstract

This research paper studies the female body as a battleground in a consumerist culture. It highlights the intersection of female oppression, consumerism, and environmental exploitation through an ecofeminist lens. The paper proves how societal expectations and consumer culture objectify and commodify women's bodies. Focusing on Margaret Atwood’s The Edible Woman and Han Kang’s The Vegetarian, this work aims to shed light on how the society dictates women’s life and their choices. It also draws parallels between nature and women, and their exploitation. The essay will use an ecofeminist framework to argue that the control exerted over women's bodies and the exploitation of the natural world are both products of the same patriarchal and capitalist structures. It will explore how both novels challenge these structures and offer a vision of a future where women and nature are valued and respected.