Randy Mootooveran
Lit Media
November3, 2016
Week 11 Writing
Assignment
1.
I believe Kefka referred to fasting as an art
form because the whole purpose of fasting is to gain enlightenment and discover
a new meaning of some form in life, religion, or the universe. It basically
follows principles artists try to incorporate into their work: finding and
understanding an aspect of life and what its purpose is. While it isn’t meant
to be a public event from what I know about it, it is something that can affect
people in different ways, like finding an unusual painting in a gallery.
2.
The manager serves as both a symbol of hope for
the hunger artist and as a source of selfishness. He goes around village to
city, trying to find an audience for the faster, but more to continue its
popularity for his benefit rather than anyone else’s. His primary motivation is
to continue a dead tradition in spite of its loss in popularity and what
affects it would have on the aging faster. Rather than help him find a place in
these new times, he leads the hunger artist on a path of self-destruction.
3.
I would say the audience of a hunger artist has
the duty to show respect for their commitment to such a task and don’t try to
insult the artist who spent their life homing. Being an artist, the worst thing
anyone could possibly do is undermining their hard work and not recognizes any
effort made on their part.
4.
We learn he acts more like an animal than a man.
He’s stubborn, resistant to change, and wishes to gain attention from his
surroundings through his actions. He separates himself from other people and
can recall the days he roamed free, clinging to the hope that things could be
that way again.
5.
Personally, while the descriptions did give a
good description, I believe an image would have benefitted greatly. It would
have shown exactly what the artist’s surrounded by his preferred environment.
The hunger artist could have been given an expression that conveyed what his
state of mind was, and it would build a deeper connection to him as a person.
6.
I think the nature of fasting has changed over
the years. There are still people who still do it, but it’s more of a religious
journey to providence than something meant for the public. It isn’t universally regarded as disgusting,
but more of a rare tradition that should be self-contained for a family,
religious group, or a single person looking for enlightenment. In terms of the
hunger artist, I would say people regard it as an impressive feat, but also a
pitiful act to stay relevant in a world that has left him behind. Of course,
that doesn’t speak for everyone, but the general consensus is that unless it’s
done for religion and faith, it’s not really a habit people should adopt to
make a ptofit.
