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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When the watchers are invited to take on a night's vigil without a breakfast, what do they do?

2. How does the artist feel about the bright light used by some watchers?

3. For whom is seeing the hunger artist a special treat?

4. How many doctors enter the cage to measure the results of the fast?

5. The interest of the public is stimulated by a steadily increasing pressure of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the artist think of his repast? What does the impresario do to prove the artist's heroism?

2. What is one way to view the artist's suffering negatively?

3. What elements of symbolism are used in Part 2?

4. What does the artist recollect about the old days in contrast to now?

5. How does the artist respond when the attendant tells him they have admired his fasting? What happens after he dies?

6. What could be said in terms of the artist as a martyr? What differing definitions are there of this term and how do they apply?

7. What changes in terms of the artist's limitations in Part 2?

8. What does the artist "do" in the cage? What is his interaction with the audience?

9. What is the artist's point of view regarding the impresario's excuses? What is his view of the audience reaction?

10. Who is paralleled to the hunger artist and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the hunger artist's reaction to the suspicious watchers versus the watchers who play cards. How does he react to both?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the different interpretations of the story "A Hunger Artist." What do each of these imply is the meaning of Kafka's work?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the decline of interest in the hunger artist's art. Why has this happened? What is the artist's reaction to the disinterest?

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This section contains 784 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample