"A Hunger Artist"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses "A Hunger Artist," which was written by Franz Kafka in 1922. It discusses the plot structure of the story and explains how it can be divided into three parts. The paper further explains that each part has profound, metaphoric meaning and then describes some of these meanings. In addition, the paper relates that Kafka's story is composed of strange ideas and mixtures between the real and the surreal.

From the Paper:

"Nevertheless, the artist continues to perform his weird art, because he needs to feel superior to his audience. He needs to prove to himself that his art is living and breathing, that it is superior to everybody's ignorance, that it is intense and powerful. The artist decides that the inaccessibility of his art is a very wise way to protect it from the unenlightened eyes of the others. Ordinary people are much more interested in cheap entertainment, in watching someone else's private life than really understanding the nucleus of a certain visible fact - like fasting. They don't even try to guess what's behind it, they are satisfied if it's weird enough to stimulate their yet obtuse curiosity. The artist feels accomplished if his stomach is empty, but his soul abounding - in art."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Kafka, Franz. A Hunger Artist (Short Prose of Franz Kafka Series). Twisted Spoon Press, January 1996
• Preece, Julian (Editor). The Cambridge Companion to Kafka. Cambridge University Press, March 2002

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