He is putting this starving artist on a plane above the regular person. These people cannot truly understand art, or the artist, because they do not have ability nor have they given up all for something they are passionate about. That makes artists better than anyone else that views their works.
Are artists the only individuals who see reality of life as it really is? Are they the only ones who live for each moment, and are not tempted to stop by each new attraction to keep life interesting? They do not need such temptations. They have their art, which is the only thing they live for.
The higher level that Kafka alludes to is the suffering that these true artists endure. The hunger artist, although he says it was simple to starve, must have suffered -- even if it was when he no longer held the power to attract people or when he was forced to eat. Once again, the question is whether or not Kafka is saying that the true artist is one who suffers. "The impresario came forward, without a word - for the band made speech impossible - lifted his arms in the air above the artist, as if inviting Heaven to look down upon this creature here in the straw, this suffering martyr..."
Here Kafka refers to the suffering of Jesus, who made the ultimate sacrifice to die for others' sins. Death, then, not just starvation is the goal. The hunger artist knows that he will die if he goes too long, but he is curious to see how long that can be. He accepts the result, for what else is there for him anymore?
The quote above, however, continues, "...this suffering martyr, which indeed he was, although in quite another sense."...
.." (a Hunger Artist) the artist continues to fast until he eventually dies. In terms of narrative structure, the story follows a conventional pattern of success, decline, failure and death. However in the process we encounter the real feelings and the emotions as well as the areas of conflict within the artist's life. The conflicts in the story are the conflicts between society and the artist, which will be discussed in
I can't do anything else," said the hunger artist." This conversation actually forms the crux of the entire story. The artist is looking for validation while the public is apathetic. A true artist on the other hand is consumed with passion for his work and public admiration is not his main concern. But in this story, the suffering artist is craving for attention. When that attention is denied him,
The spot light and people's recognition are not enough for the artist. It is consolation he is looking for and never finds it. The misunderstanding of his very art is the cause of his exhaustion. Like Kafka, the Hunger Artist is trapped in a vicious circle, unable to see the light of understanding in the world's eyes. What was always the cause of misery for an artist? Being misunderstood in
As he becomes frustrated by onlookers' questions, he shakes the bars of the cage like some wild animal. The artist's cage is literal and figurative in this case. He is confined to his life of suffering and his is a prisoner of it. His psychological cage is just like his physical one. He willingly accepts both. He was never appreciated and this led to even more dissatisfaction. The artist
He does his share of complaining but he does little else to remedy the situation. The truth of the matter is that Gregor did not enjoy much of his life away from work. He never expresses a desire to have more in his life nor does he express any regret, until he is a bug. In "A Hunger Artist," our hunger artist chooses to live a considerable amount of
Victims of a Meaningless Show of Force Language Analysis: In the article "Victims of a Meaningless Show of Force" the author uses language to express her point that police firing on two polar bears was unacceptable behavior and as the author says "it was illogical, unfair, and a meaningless show of force." While this statement makes her opinion clear, the author also uses language to create the same opinion in the reader. The
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