Comparison of Kafka’s short story ‘A Hunger Artist’ and novella ‘Metamorphosis'.
One of the most
influential writers of 20th century FranzKafka was born on July3,
1883 in Prague, Bohemia. His father, a business man, is described to be an ill-tempered
man who usually used to shed his worries and frustrations on his son. He was
also not supportive towards Kafka’s interest in literature. His mother however
was a better educated woman and helped his father in business, as a result the
children were brought up by governesses and maids. Kafkatook admission to study
chemistry at Charles Ferdinand University, later on he switched his subjects
and began studying law. During his time spent in the university he met a junior
named Max Brodd who later became his lifelong friend and was responsible for
the publication of Kafka’s most literary works, as most of Kafka’s work was
noticed and published after his death. Kafka had Tuberculosis and suffered much
physical pain due to his illness, he also encountered social anxiety issues and
was predominantly depressed and melancholy throughout his life. He never
marriedon account of his literary activities, though he was engaged twice. He paid
much attention to his writing career and didn’t want anything to distract him
from what he was doing. He completed his degree in 1906 and joined an Italian
firm as an insurance officer, though he was a good employee and worked hard yet
he wasn’t happy with his job and called it a ‘bread job’. Despite all his
depressions, illness and misery he never gave up writing and always tried his
best to keep it up. His most famous works are Metamorphosis (1912), A Hunger
Artist, and novels such as Amerika (1927), the Trial (1925) andThe Castle
(1926). Kafka died on three 3 July, 1924 in Prague.
Most of the Kafka’s
works represent his mantle state and his experience of social detachment and
isolation and physical pain too. A hunger Artist and Metamorphosis both apparently
have same themes of self-denialself-destruction, spiritual poverty, asceticism
and alienation, all of them well known and experienced by Kafka himself, but
both the protagonists portray them in different manner. We can see two
different sides of the same themes in the behavior of our characters.Metamorphosis
is the story of a traveling salesman who one day wakes up to realize that he
has been turned into a beetle and his outlook has changed entirely making his
family and other peopleforget all thathe’s been doing his entire life. All they
want is to get rid of him. A hunger artist resembles greatly by Kafka himself
and general humans. The story is about a fasting artist who deprives himself willingly
from any nutrition for the sake of ‘art’. Both stories are the reflections of
human conduct and behavior and can be regarded as most fine works by Kafka
putting lsife in a nutshell. Yet there are some contrasts
too.
Our hunger artist and
Mr. Gregor both are separated from society on account of their different
outlook and behavior. Both are misunderstood by the people around them and
therefore this contrast between the mindsets leads to mental anxiety of both
the protagonists. The hunger artist believes that his “art” should be valued
and appreciated as much as he himself does but apparently no one is interested
in his fasting they merely are intrigued because it’s a new phenomenon for the
people, after sometime as mentioned in the text people start losing interest
and no one cares for the hunger artist. On the other hand,Gregor spends his entire
life, until the day he is transformed into an insect, taking care of his family
providing them with every possible comfort, yet he is not appreciated or
praised for this instead when his family comes to know about Gregor’s present
physical form they all become anxious to get rid of him, hence both get isolated
from the society in spite of their ‘sacrifices’.
Another theme common in
both stories is the concept and the idea of self-denial. Both our protagonists
sacrifice themselves and their desires. But the idea is different for both the
characters.Gregor; he is worried about his family and his work more than his
transformation, as mentioned in the text that when he finds himself transformed
into an insect and wakes up, the first thought in his mind was that he is late
from work and that the manager now would mock his parents for his delay. The
hunger artist on the other hand denies every comfort and nourishment for
himself on the account of his own artistic ego and pride and admiration for his
work or art. He neglects all his wishes and cravings for his pride and ego. As
explained in the text, “because I have to fast, I can’t help it”, says the
hunger artist. This gives us an idea that he only was enslaved of his own will
and hence he neglects his desires. His self-denial has an aspect of free-will
as well. Though he certainly is suffering and denying any nourishment, he still
controls his pain and agony. This also gives insight to Kafka’s behavior
towards his literary work. He left everything behind in his journey of becoming
a writer and became a slave of his own will.
The indifference of the
humans towards other humans is remarkable sometimes and this surprises me that
each and every one of us is selfish to such an extent that we don’t even realize
other people’s feelings and sentiments. Both of our protagonists also
experience the same indifference by the society. Our artist is the only one who
recognizes and knows the true spiritual value of his art and he is the only one
who is honest with his work. He doesn’t get admired by people they are only
interested in him because they have never seen anything like that before. They
don’t see the amount of effort he is putting in his art. Similarly, Gregor also
gets humiliated and beaten up by his family and they are indifferent to whatever
he has done for them in his life time. As humans we fail to see what’s beneath
the obvious as Gregor’s family fails to see their son for who he really is and
just by his outer transformation they don’t accept him as one of them. Similarly,
the huger artist is also a specimen of mockery and sometimes pity because of
his appearance, his willow wild body makes him an object of interest for people
and they treat him like a zoo animal. Our understanding of human nature is only
apparent, changes in our body and appearance changes our identity too.
Another factor worth
mentioning is that both stories explain the ‘change’, but in different manners.
Gregor is transformed physically. His outlook is changed to such an extent that
he is not recognized as human anymore but on the other hand the hunger artist
undergoes a change in his mentality, he slowly realizes the pettiness of his
art and is struck by the idea that nobody cares for what he is doing as
mentioned in the text, “I always wanted you to admire my fasting,” said the
hunger artist. “But we do admire it,” said the supervisor obligingly. “But you
shouldn’t admire it,” said the hunger artist. He realizes that no matter how
much he fasts and no matter how honest he is in his fasting nobody would care
as long as he is not effecting their lives. Gregor’s mind on the other hand
refuse to evolve throughout the story and he is still caring for his family,
worrying about his job and still the only one admiring his sister’s music. He
accepts the metamorphosis at a face value unwilling to accept that the change
has a greater significance. It’s like a veil that has fallen from his face and
has revealed his true state, the state of isolation.
This leads us to a very
important theme common in both the stories: Existentialism. Both the protagonists’
lack of freedom, despite the fact that they are socially isolated, is elective.
Gregor has become trapped in his room after the transformation but he was
suffering isolation before his transformation as well. He did not like his job
before he was forced to quit it as he says “oh God what a demanding job I’ve
chosen”, so Gregor has the ability to escape his detestable career if only he
abandons his family obligations; he also has the ability to try and escape the
flat, and thus find liberty. Neither of these options even occur to Gregor,
consequently, he continues to suffer. Similarly, the hunger artist is free to
give up his fasting and become normal but he chooses to worship his pride and
does not give up what he is doing, and that too absolutely honestly, merely on
the account to protect “honor of his profession”. Our condition is a result of
our own acts and decisions. But still this idea has a setback that while we
share our existence with other humans we are not free to choose what we really
want. We are free yet not free in our decision making. It becomes difficult,
sometimes impossible to become free-willed. Though both of the protagonists die
at the end of stories and both are themselves responsible for their self-destruction,
giving an explanation of how our decisions have a major impact on our fate.
Both of Kafka’s works are
an interpretation of human conduct and behavior. The stories are allegorical.
Both of the protagonists and other characters represent real life people. Gregor’s
transformation and the artists fasting give insight to how life changes and how
we remain slaves of our own egos. How the world misunderstands us and how we
too sometimes become unaware of our motives.I think the meanings and
interpretations of the stories are almost infinite. They could mean anything to
anybody. To me it was a reflection of life, of my life, and how things change
as you get older, and how people begin to perceive you differently. How outlook
may change one’s entire identity and how your own decisions affect your life.
References:
Johnstone, I. (1999).
The Metamorphosis. (Franz Kafka). Malaspina University-College Nanaimo.
(original work published in 1915)
Odor, J. (2014, July
6). Kafkaesque: An Analysis of Metamorphosis.
Retrieved from: http://www.easybib.com/reference/guide/apa/website
Abroo, S. (2013,
January 26). The Metamorphosis: A Book Review. Retrieved from: http://www.dawn.com/news/781419/the-metamorphosis-a-book-review
