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.