In this analysis, I aim to showcase the public’s response to the angel in “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and the hunger artist in Kafka’s “Hunger Artist” based on the authors’ writings and the characters’ perspectives. Furthermore, I will highlight the significance of the public in both stories.
In the story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” the public gathers to witness the old man, curious about his identity. The owners of the house where he is staying initially believe he is a solitary survivor of a storm-damaged foreign ship. Their conclusion is based on their conversations with him, during which he responds in a dialect that is difficult to understand but carries the resonance of a seasoned sailor.
The public treated him as if he were a circus animal, throwing food at him. When Father Gonzaga visited the old man, there were fewer people watching frivolously compared to those who had come earlier. Some of the less complicated individuals believed that he should be given the title of mayor of the world. Others with stronger minds believed he should be promoted to the rank of a five-star general to guarantee victory in all wars. There were also those who wished for him to reproduce so that there would be a new generation of wise, winged beings to take control of the universe.
Father Gonzaga suspected that the old man was an impostor because he couldn’t communicate in the language of God or properly greet his minister. Rather than believing the old man was an angel, Father Gonzaga believed it was a trick of the devil. Many curious people came from far away, hoping the old man could heal them and change their misfortunes. Throughout it all, the old man himself remained detached from his own performance. The arrival of a carnival attraction, a woman transformed into a spider, further damaged the old man’s reputation. As a result, people stopped visiting him. Months later, the old man grew new wings and flew away.
Based on my understanding, it is possible that the angel in The very old man with Enormous wings decided to leave because he was not treated properly. People lacked faith in him just because he didn’t fulfill their desires. If the public had believed in him and treated him with kindness, it might have resulted in his recovery and ultimately satisfying their desires.
In “The Hunger Artist,” the artist desired recognition and admiration from the public for his ability to fast. This is evident in the passage that questions why he should stop fasting and be deprived of the fame he would receive for lasting longer. Professional fasting had significantly declined in popularity over the past decade. While adults often viewed him as a joke, children found him intriguing. Various types of watchers observed the artist. Some groups of watchers gathered in a corner to play cards, thinking he would prefer to be alone. However, this solitude only made him miserable and intensified the seemingly endless nature of his fast. On the other hand, there were watchers who suited his preferences.
The watchers who sat closely to the bars were not satisfied with the dim night lighting in the hall. The artist enjoyed staying awake all night with these watchers. People became disinterested in watching the Hunger Artist because no one could prove that his fast had been continuous. Only the artist himself knew this, so he was the only one satisfied by his own fast. Years passed and still no one took his suffering seriously. People believed that his depression was caused by the fasting. They also believed that fasting caused him to react with bursts of anger, shaking the bars of his cage like a wild animal. More years passed, and suddenly the hunger artist found himself abandoned by the amusement seekers, and as a result, he died.
In “The Hunger Artist”, despite witnessing the emaciated state of the protagonist, the public refused to believe that he was truly fasting and speculated that he must have been secretly eating. This illustrates the inherent distrust people often hold towards others.
The Hunger Artist and the main characters in the other story share similarities in how they are treated by the public. The public’s interest in the Hunger Artist was solely based on his role as entertainment. They observed him for several years, but eventually, some people declared that they would stop watching him. Their reasoning was that since they did not spend every moment with him, they could not be certain he was not consuming food secretly.
In both “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and “The Public,” the public’s fascination with the old man stemmed from their belief that he was an angel. However, their interest quickly waned when they realized that he was incapable of performing miracles for them. This highlights how the public in both stories only remained enticed by the characters as long as they believed they could gain something from them. Ultimately, the public attempted to exploit the characters for their own personal gain.
Both writers emphasize the public’s response to the characters in “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and “The Hunger Artist,” illustrating the evolving societal trust in others and religious beliefs.
