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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. The narrator writes that "during these last _____ an interest in professional fasting has diminished."

2. Who is bound to be the sole, completely satisfied spectator of the artist's fast?

3. What does the artist stubbornly refuse to do at the last moment of his fast?

4. According to the narrator, how did it used to pay very well to stage such performances?

5. Who selects the permanent watchers?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the artist feel about the world when he dies?

2. How does the circus diminish the artist's form?

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

4. What are the distractions of being near the animals at the circus? How does this affect the artist?

5. Why doesn't the artist complain to the management at the circus?

6. What has happened to the interest in fasting at the beginning of the story? How has this affected the artist?

7. How does the audience's lack of understanding affect the artist?

8. Is the artist satisfied with his fasts? Why or why not?

9. What happens at the circus regarding the record of days the artist has spent fasting?

10. What does the artist experience of the audience at the circus?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What other figures in history have had famous fasts? Why? How does the hunger artist's fast compare to these?

Essay Topic 2

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

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the plot structure of "A Hunger Artist." How well does this story fit into the mold of a traditional plot?

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