A Critical Analysis of “A Hunger Artist” PDF

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A Critical Analysis of “A Hunger Artist”...

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McDonald 1 Alyssia McDonald Professor Aby Boumarate 202010 Freshman Comp II 30 September 2019 A Critical Analysis of “A Hunger Artist” Franz Kafka’s “A Hunger Artist” is a short story that revolves around a sad and empty man who makes a living off of publicly showcasing his extreme fasting in hopes of fitting in with the wants and needs of society. He feels that his peers should respect his immense talent, but instead he views them as looking down on him instead of actually acknowledging his talent. Over time, his career of fasting dies down and he is eventually replaced by his complete opposite, which is a youthful and strong panther who loves to eat. Throughout the story, the man exhibits his thirst for the two main themes that illuminate the story’s plot, which are isolation and the phenomenon of a spectacle. The recurring themes within the story truly allow for a deep psychological analysis, in which the reader is able to examine the motives of each character and the meaning behind each event within the plot. Kafka’s story is unique because of the plot’s ability to draw attention to the profound ideologies that are highlighted in our actual real-life world. The theme of isolation is especially noted based on the hunger artist’s troublesome relationship with his spectators, as he has cut himself off from the world because he feels he is misunderstood. He continuously strives for perfection and is fixated on becoming the best faster in the world, no matter how degrading his goals are to his health. As his fixation intensifies, he creates dire effects on his mental and physical health until he eventually dies due to the severity of his obsession. His death highlights the author’s intended message about society, in which he conveys how society is a harsh world

McDonald 2 that doesn’t care about the “weak” or “problematic.” The hunger artist’s issues did not supersede society’s expectations and he was ultimately shut down and replaced after his death. He is truly isolated from others because he is the only person who acknowledges the importance of his ambitions and accomplishments. His endless effort to be perfect pushes him farther away from understanding and building a relationship with the people who watch him. The second theme in the story is the phenomenon of a spectacle. Society is easily susceptible to adjusting to new trends or occurrences because we get tired of things easily. When we’ve had enough of the popular trend of the moment, we become dissatisfied and stop caring. The hunger artist was once the up and coming big new thing, but he eventually downgraded to nothing when society dropped him because they had enough of him. Kafka illustrates this loss of interest with his quote, “you can please some of the people, some of the time. But not all of the people, all of the time (Kafka).” This idea is proven throughout the plot because he died an isolated death, only to be replaced by the next big hit after all his hard work. “A Hunger Artist” is a story that represents many recurring symbols and themes that allow the reader to critically analyze the psychiatric background within. A psychological approach of analysis involves digging deep into the motives of the characters and the meaning of the plot. The psychological background behind the hunger artist consists of his constant portrayal of self-denial, in which he forsakes comfort, companionship, and food to make his death the culmination of his life’s work. The panther is another candidate for psychological analysis because of its standing as the artist’s oxymoron, in which the panther is powerful and lively and the hunger artist is powerless and lifeless. The panther represents freedom because it is comfortable in its own skin and is able to truly engage with the people the way the hunger artist failed to. The hunger artist’s story authentically conveys the meaning of the plot, which is to

McDonald 3 depict society’s relationship with those who crave attention and those who give it. “A Hunger Artist” is a complex short story with great psychological context for analysis. The subtle amount of characters surprising create a drastic effect on the reader and how they take in what the text provides. The two major themes of isolation and the phenomenon of becoming a spectacle make the reader want to discover and understand the true meaning of the plot. When conducting a psychological analysis on the text, the reader is able to understand the purpose of the story based on how the characters interact and how the plot develops....