Self-Destructive Behavior Depicted in Kafka\'s

Self-Destructive Behavior Depicted in Kafka's

The Metamorphosis" and "A Hunger Artist"

Self-destructive behavior is not always obvious, especially to the one practicing it. 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. 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. It is this respect and acceptance of madness-as-norm by his doomed characters that make his stories so seductive and unforgettable" (Freed ix). 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. 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. 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. Gregor and our starving artist illustrate the powerful nature of choice and how we are all responsible for our own destiny.

Our human insect and our hungry artist share numerous qualities. Both men choose professions that are not healthy for them. 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. One of the first things he thinks after he wakes up to find himself in this strange state is:

What an exhausting profession I picked on! Traveling day in, day out. 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. (Kafka Metamorphosis 741)

Here we see that Gregor hates his life even before he becomes a bug. He event thinks, "The Devil take it all!" (741). The more Gregor thinks about his work life, the more agitated he becomes. He goes on the observe that getting up early "makes one stupid. A man needs his sleep" (741). Here, Gregor is more focused on what he hates about his life than he is at the state of his body. This is an indication of his mental state, which is, at best, poor. 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. 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. 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. Gregor and our artist seem to have a penchant for unhealthy behavior.

In addition, both of these men do not actively pursue other professions that might increase their quality of life. In "The Metamorphosis," Gregor plods along day after day, blaming his family for most of his misery. 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). Any reasonable person would see that five or six years is a considerable amount of time to spend at a miserable job. Gregor might have high hopes but he is not motivated enough to go out and get them while he can. He is complacent and, at times, that is easier than attempting something different. Gregor's job does not provide him with any satisfaction and he is only in it for the money. However, Gregor needs his job desperately, regardless of how awful it may be. 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). While it is normal for people to feel dependent upon their jobs, they should never stay employed in conditions they consider deplorable. 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. In "A Hunger Artist," the artist is completely devoted to his profession, never giving in for any reason whatsoever. After forty days of struggling, when he is completely emaciated and exhausted, he would still starve himself because it was the "easiest thing in the world" (780) to do. For this reason, he continues with this profession. He never admits to being happy with his profession, only that it is something that he can do fairly well and he apparently enjoys the attention it brings him. However, we read that after the spectacle of starving in a cage, we read that "no one had any cause to be dissatisfied with the proceedings, no one except the hunger artist himself, he only, as always" (Hunger Artist 782). He lives for "many years" (782) this way, with "regular intervals of recuperation, in visible glory, honored by the world, yet in spite of that, troubled in spirit, and all the more troubled because no one would take his trouble seriously" (782). Our artist never considers another profession even when he seems to be depressed most of the time he is fasting. We read that when someone remarks that his "melancholy was probably caused by fasting" (782), he would react with an "outburst of fury" (782). Here we see that the artist is not completely satisfied with his profession. It is clear that he enjoys moments of fame and adoration but this is certainly not enough as he enters into the long hours of his fast and suffers from depression that it is not rewarding enough for him. Our antagonists do not possess the willpower or determination it takes to seek out something different that might allow them more happiness in their lives.

As a result of their complacency, both men have given up on finding any alternative lifestyle that might prove to be just as fulfilling as the tedious one they are presently living. In "The Metamorphosis," before Gregor's opportunities are stripped away because he is no longer human, he is content to stay in a miserable job. As we have mentioned, he no doubt possessed skills that he could have utilized elsewhere for perhaps more money and better conditions. However, he let the opportunity pass him by and the rest of his days will be spent wondering. In "A Hunger Artist," the artist is constantly bombarded with what appears to be warning signals that maybe he needs to consider doing something else. He refuses to look at his situation in this way; instead, he would rather continue doing the same thing. Even when his cage is removed from the middle of the ring and he is no longer a "main attraction" (784), our artist continues on with this lifestyle. He complains that he is too close to the animal cages to stand out as an attraction and he must come to terms with the fact that he is only getting attention because his cage is situated near the "menagerie" (784) of animals and people have no choice but to pass his cage to get to their cages. Our artist even endures the "stench of the menagerie, the animals' restlessness by night, the carrying of raw lumps of flesh for the beasts of prey" (784-5) and other inconveniences that "depressed him continually" (785) without thinking that perhaps he should try something innovative that was not so difficult for him. All he thinks to do is be thankful for the animals because they were the reason that "troops of people" (785) passed his cage at all. Steinhauer contends, "In the meantime he lives in utter neglect" (Steinhauer). In addition, he adds the irony of the story is, "Now his great dream of being allowed to fast beyond the allotted forty days has become a reality. He can fast on and on...When the hunger artist had an audience, he was prevented by an external force from fulfilling himself; now that he can do so, he has no audience" (Steinhauer). Both of these men have the capability of pursuing superior lives but they do not.

Both men are isolationists by choice. In "The Metamorphosis," Gregor blames his job but the reality is that he is not proactive in seeking a fulfilling social life. He maintains that it is his travels and "casual acquaintances that are always new and never become intimate friends" (Metamorphosis 742). He does his share of complaining but he does little else to remedy the situation. The truth of the matter is that Gregor did not enjoy much of his life away from work. He never expresses a desire to have more in his life nor does he express any regret, until he is a bug. In "A Hunger Artist," our hunger artist chooses to live a considerable amount of his life behind bars being a public spectacle. While he can communicate with onlookers, he is separated from them by the bars and the setting in which he finds himself only forces him to interact with individuals for a short amount of time. Once they have become satisfied with his spectacle, they move on and leave the artist to his own thoughts. Our hunger artist is aware of the world that exists around him but it does not seem to affect him in any way. He seems to be smug about his art and self-serving with his reason for behaving the way he does. Our antagonists willingly choose lifestyles that remove them society, a condition that is only worsened when circumstances reach a level of discomfort.

Both men would rather suffer than do anything else and, as a result, become their own victims. In fact, it might even be said that they enjoy their circumstances. In "The Metamorphosis," Sheldon Goldfarb observes, "Gregor begins to adjust to life as a multi-legged insect, he has a sudden 'sense of physical comfort'; once he is right side up, his legs become 'completely obedient,' as he noted with joy" (Goldfarb). When Gregor attempts to walk, he is relieved to discover he can move with such ease and he even begins to think his suffering might have ended. In addition, with his newly discovered abilities, Gregor "insect is having fun" (Goldfarb). Goldfarb continues:

Certainly, Gregor's life as a bug seems in some ways better than his life as a human being... As an insect, Gregor is free of his job and his family responsibilities. Instead of rushing off to work, he can stay home and play. Instead of taking care of his family, they take care of him. In some ways, his life as a bug is the life of the carefree child. He even heals faster than he used to, as a child would. Goldfarb it should be noted that nobody would ever seriously consider trading places with a bug; however, since Gregor had no choice is the matter since he wakes one morning mysteriously transformed, he might as well enjoy the new circumstance that has been presented to him.

In "A Hunger Artist," the artist seems to derive a certain amount of satisfaction, it not pleasure, from his circumstances as well. He wants people to admire his ability to fast and he wants to be admired because he must fast and cannot help it. In addition, when he becomes a part of the circus, he simply accepts that as part of his doomed destiny. At this point in his life, our artist is "past his prime, no longer at the height of his professional skill, seeking refuge in some quiet corner of a circus" (783) and while he wants to deny this fact and claim that he is at the top of his starving game, we know better. He continues to believe that he could "astound the world by establishing a record never yet achieved" (783). It is worth consideration how he is in his last moments. When a man might be willing to do whatever he could to continue living, our starving artist is still quite arrogant, making his final statement one that insults the onlooker who seems to be considered with his well being. Our artist was very much involved with self-destructive behavior because he never once wanted to try to change his life or his lifestyle. On his deathbed, he can only bring himself to say he went hungry because he could not find any food that he liked, hence his disappointment with the world and the people in it. There is no other way to explain these men other than saying that they are self-fulfilling prophecies. Their behavior is self-destructive and when they are aware of this and do not act in a way that improves or enhances their lives, they are living out their own intended doom. Gregor may think he enjoys life as a bug but what drove him to that kind of existence is what lies at the heart of the equation. Our hunger artist is fully cognizant of why he is where he is and seems to be fine with whatever fate he meets.

Despite the terrible circumstances in which these men find themselves, they both men lack responsibility for what has become of their lives. In "The Metamorphosis," we can believe that Gregor had very little to do with what happened to him after he became an insect. We cannot hold him responsible for the fact that he awoke in the form of a bug, either; however, his life up until that point was basically unfulfilling. It is safe to assume that Kafka's message here is to make the very most of life before all of our chances are taken away from us. Gregor had years to improve his life. It would not have taken an extraordinarily large amount of effort to notice a slight change in improvement. As it turns out, Gregor was more responsible as a bug because he at least experienced feelings and did his best to express them. He felt anger and pain and he began to realize that he deserved to be heard. In "A Hunger Artist," we see the hunger artist's arrogance in the last paragraph of the story when the artist is easily replaced by a young panther. The crowd felt the sight was "refreshing to see this wild creature leaping around the cage that so long been dreary" (786). Steinhauer asks, "How is it possible to misread the last paragraph as a judgment of poetic justice for a life misspent? Is it not obviously a bitter comment on the obtuseness of the public, which has refused to patronize the spectacle provided by the hunger artist, but flocks to the cage in which the brutal panther prances about?" (Steinhauer). Steinhauer observes that the indifference of the public is what Kafka intends to comment upon. The narrator's summation that it is the public's fault that our hunger artist did not receive his reward only echoes the artist's haughtiness. While it seems a noble cause to blame the public for not appreciating the artist's art, we must ask how long an artist should continue reproducing art for which the public has obviously grown weary. The hunger artist may have found his niche but that does mean that the public is in any way obligated to patronize him. In short, out hunger artist cheated himself because he was not able to find a more suitable and profitable lifestyle.

Both men are miserable. While we might entertain the notion that Gregor experienced moments of happiness as an insect because it provided him freedom from the drudgery of his life, we can also know that those moments of happiness were fleeting and always followed by the terrible realization of what has happened. Gregor was not happy as a man and, ultimately, he was not happy as a bug. In the end, he suffered mercilessly because of his condition. His metamorphosis forced him into a deep loneliness of which he probably could have never dreamed possible. While he never left the house as a man, as a bug, he can never leave whether he wants to or not. All he has is the view outside his bedroom window and the only freedom that brings. We read that the view gives him "some sort of recollection of the sense of freedom that looking out a window always gave him" (Metamorphosis 758). He covers himself "completely" (758) so the sight of him will not frighten or repulse anyone. His parents "could not bring themselves to the point of entering his room" (759). These are images that would make anyone miserable and Gregor, the bug, is certainly no exception to these feelings. As much as he attempts to adapt to his new body, his family is experiencing a rough time and he is painfully aware of this fact the more time passes. Gregor is at a complete loss because he was unhappy as a man and unhappy as a bug as well. We can pity Gregor but we must also remember that while he did have the chance to seek out happiness, he willingly chose not to do so. In a way, Gregor cannot blame anyone for his condition because it is the result of his choices. In "A Hunger Artist," our artist seems to delight in the misery that he inflicts upon himself. Our general impression is that the man would have things no other way. His situation is dismal at best, he has nothing to look forward to except the thought of not eating and even that has lost its luster over the years. Steinhauer notes, "The result was a general dissatisfaction. The people outside the cage were dissatisfied because it was impossible to prove that the hunger artist did not cheat. The man inside the cage was unhappy because he knew that he was not cheating" (Steinhauer). Here we see that even in the very best of circumstances, there would always be a certain level of displeasure and misery simply because of the nature of the starving business. This was no deterrent, however, as our artist desires more than anything to remain committed to his art, misery and all. Regardless of how these men ended up in their present situations, neither of them was happy.

Both men possess fatalistic characteristics that contribute to their own demise. Neither of our characters are motivated enough to modify their lives before things become so unpleasant that death is the only respite. In "The Metamorphosis," Gregor certainly has job proficiency that he could utilize somewhere else if he would only take the initiative to look for another job that might be more fulfilling. He never considers a profession where he could sit in an office rather than travel all day or, if he does consider it, he does actively pursue that avenue. He does not seem to desire an active social life nor does he seem to miss having a love interest in his life. All Gregor has is work and he is completely devastated with it. He has every occasion to change this but fails to do so. In the end, while he dies a pitiful death, he is the one responsible for the life that he had. In "A Hunger Artist," our artist never considers doing anything else outside the realm of starving. Our hunger artist is his own worst enemy because he cannot accept the fact that his life is not going according to plan. He wants to continue on with a tradition that simply is not appreciated anymore. Essentially, each man has resigned himself to a miserable life.