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
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
