![]() ![]() In "A Hunger Artist," the artist is completely devoted to his profession, never giving in for any reason whatsoever. Gregor had skills that he could put to use for another corporation that might afford him lighter, more enjoyable duties but he never actively seeks to discover what is out there. While it is normal for people to feel dependent upon their jobs, they should never stay employed in conditions they consider deplorable. He tells the clerk that he is "not obstinate, and I'm willing to work traveling is a hard life, but I couldn't live without it" (750). However, Gregor needs his job desperately, regardless of how awful it may be. Gregor's job does not provide him with any satisfaction and he is only in it for the money. He is complacent and, at times, that is easier than attempting something different. Gregor might have high hopes but he is not motivated enough to go out and get them while he can. Any reasonable person would see that five or six years is a considerable amount of time to spend at a miserable job. We read that Gregor will quit his job once he has "saved enough money to pay back my parents' debt" (Metamorphosis 741), noting that he might reach this goal in "five or six years." (12). In "The Metamorphosis," Gregor plods along day after day, blaming his family for most of his misery. ![]() In addition, both of these men do not actively pursue other professions that might increase their quality of life. Gregor and our artist seem to have a penchant for unhealthy behavior. Many would argue the fact that starving is not exactly an art but that is beside the point this artist has willingly chosen a deadly profession. In "A Hunger Artist," our artist's chosen profession is perhaps on of the most dangerous and this is perhaps why he has selected it for the basis of his art. Our hunger artist seems to have found a niche for his talent of starvation but it is certainly not the best thing for him, especially his physical health. This is an indication of his mental state, which is, at best, poor. Here, Gregor is more focused on what he hates about his life than he is at the state of his body. He goes on the observe that getting up early "makes one stupid. The more Gregor thinks about his work life, the more agitated he becomes. He event thinks, "The Devil take it all!" (741). Here we see that Gregor hates his life even before he becomes a bug. It is much more irritating work than the actual business in the office, and then on top of that there's the trouble of constant traveling as well, of worrying about train connections, the bed and irregular meals, casual acquaintances that are always new and never become intimate friends. TOPIC: Thesis on Self-Destructive Behavior Depicted in Kafka's the Metamorphosis AssignmentWhat an exhausting profession I picked on! Traveling day in, day out. One of the first things he thinks after he wakes up to find himself in this strange state is: In "The Metamorphosis," Gregor is the antagonist in this story because he seems to do everything he can to make his life miserable up until he becomes a bug. Both men choose professions that are not healthy for them. Paper NOW! ⬇️ Our human insect and our hungry artist share numerous qualities. Gregor and our starving artist illustrate the powerful nature of choice and how we are all responsible for our own destiny. In addition, both men cannot accept responsibility for what is happening to them and, as a result, die pitiful deaths because of their lifestyle choices. Furthermore, these men give up on the hope that there is something better for them, both appear to be isolationists that appear to enjoy suffering. Our antagonists share the fact that they willingly choose professions that have become dangerous to their well being they do not actively seek new directions in which to take their lives as to improve their lot in life, so things remain status quo and eventually sour in the process. It is this respect and acceptance of madness-as-norm by his doomed characters that make his stories so seductive and unforgettable" (Freed ix). Such is the case for Franz Kafka's characters in "The Metamorphosis" and "A Hunger Artist." Donna Freed writes that Kafka's stories "often wind up condoning that they set out to defy. Many people find themselves feeling that the only way that they can live on this earth is if they are experiencing some soft of difficulty or hardship and if the world does not freely provide them with one, they will happily give it to themselves. Self-destructive behavior is not always obvious, especially to the one practicing it. Self-Destructive Behavior Depicted in Kafka's ![]()
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