GREAT BOOKS

ASSIGNMENT
REGISTRATION NO. BBA 2020-27

MANTOR: SIR ZAMEER

Sania Zubair 6/27/21
NAWAZ
A HUNGER ARTIST BY FRANZ KALFKA

The definition of art has been changing with period of time. The main idea of art focuses on
expressions, feelings, emotions, also include expression of human imagination and creative skill
like painting, sculpture, literature, music and architecture. Artist uses art in context of religion,
spirituality, fame, and in physical and spiritual nourishment.

The theory of art is doesn’t remain same it changes with period of time. Now the conventional
theory of art is totally different from the present theory of art. It changes with the change in
mentality, culture, religion, and other values of society.

The Franz Kafka theory of art is changing with the passage of time. In hunger artist the source of
entertainment for audience also shifted in present theory of art. In conventional theory of art
as the audience ignore the talent of hunger artist fasting for forty days. But this concept is
totally contrary to present theory of art a reader can feel sorry for hunger artist and he realize
the spirituality and talent of hunger artist which was totally ignored at passed era. Hunger artist
badly torture himself physically and practice fasting to get spiritual nourishment. Here for artist
there are two types of nourishment one is spiritual nourishment and other is physically
nourishment. Hunger artist wanted to get spiritual nourishment by the appreciation and
attentions of audience. So in this case the type of art is changing so one bother the talent of
hunger artist in this century.

Here Kafka uses the concept of alienation in the art how an artist alienated himself from
society. The concept of cage describe the difference between artist and society how his
attitude is different from rest of society. How hunger artist cut off from society basically he cut
from the needs of society. His art also reject the idea of capitalist and he had no need of all
other physical desires of human beings like food, money, job, family and a house. He needed
spiritual nourishment which comes from appreciation and fame. He is totally indulged with his
art and refusal to do other things. But all his efforts were totally ignored by audience because
according to them his struggle doesn’t fit the theory of art at that time. But in 21 st century a
reader can judge the talent of hunger artist.
As the theory of art changes with change in mentality of new generation so its function is also
changes. As the art of hunger artist doesn’t play its function clearly at that time. And the other
reason is that Art doesn’t play its function properly in all situations like in this type of art a
hunger artist need satisfaction and appreciation in his life through his art of fasting but he was
not satisfied with his art at last. So in this situation art doesn’t play its function properly. Hunger
artist examines the relationship between art and society but their no one can received hunger
artist art. Here Kafka wanted to say that art force the society to recognize its truth but in this
story hunger artist and society does not understand each other. So there art does not work
properly.

No doubt hunger artist do all his efforts and remained focus only on his art and he sacrifices
many of his desires like job ,money, family and all the physical nourishment a common man
needed. He wanted to convey the meaningful and true meaning of his art to society. The
audience in the story don’t accept the fasting of hunger artist as an art or talent basically they
don’t trust him and not consider the hunger artist as a talented man. In starting they came to
see hunger artist as a source of entertainment but gradually they ignore him as time passes the
source of entertainment was changes for them. Basically audience didn’t believe on the
authenticity of hunger artist. Kafka don’t explain the rules of art in society and this was
impossible for hunger artist to make his art meaningful in this world. Artist unable to
communicate with audience and tell the truth of his art. Audience doesn’t seems hunger as an
art. The story reveal that art doesn’t reveal its true meaning to society.