Do an Essay on Hunger Artist

Do an Essay on Hunger Artist

The very fact that the main character in “The Hunger Artist” is an artist means that his starvation is (or is attempting to be) symbolic. Pieces of art, by definition, represent parts of life, express the inexpressible, show the unseen, or – most simply – stand in for something else.eng230_short_story_rev
Here we have an artist whose work of art is not only his own body – the way it might be
for a dancer, actor, comedian, etc. – it is the mistreatment of his body. Furthermore, we
have an audience willing to watch self-inflicted pain.
Activity Instructions
Consider both versions of “The Hunger Artist” – Kafka’s prose and Crumb and
Mairowitz’s graphic novel. Citing specific moments from the stories – as well as from
Foster and the lectures as you see fit – write a detailed essay about the following:
 What does the Huger Artist’s performance symbolize and why has he chosen
starvation as his means of expression?
 What is Kafka saying about the relationship between an artist and his or her
audience?
 According to Kafka, must that audience always involve someone suffering?
 Given the two versions of the story, in which ways does the graphic novel
succeed at being Kafka-esque and in which ways is the prose version more
effective?

Answer Preview………

APA 957 words