Lexical Analysis of Franz Kafkas Short Story " A Hunger Artist

LEXICAL ANALYSIS OF FRANZ KAFKAS SHORT STORY
“ A HUNGER ARTIST “
By
Muhammad Hamza Qureshi
Submited To Mam Salma Khatoon
Department of English,
Kohat University Of Science And Technology

1.Introduction :
A hunger artist is a short story by Franz Kafka first published in 1922. The story was also
included in the collection a hunger artist the last book Kafka prepared for publication, printed
after Kafka's death. The protagonist, a hunger artist who experiences the decline in
appreciation of his craft, is an archetypical creation of Kafka: an individual marginalized and
victimized by society at large. The title of the story has been translated also to "A fasting Artist “
and " A starvation Artist ".
"A Hunger Artist" was first published in the periodical in 1922 and was subsequently included
as the title piece in the short story collection. "A Hunger Artist" explores the familiar Kafka
themes of death, art, isolation, asceticism, spiritual poverty, futility, personal failure and the
corruption of human relationships.
The story begins with a general description of "the hunger artist" and then narrows in on a
single performer, the protagonist. The hunger artist performed in a cage for the curious
spectators, and was attended by teams of watchers (usually three butchers) who ensured that
he was not secretly eating. Despite such precautions, many, including some of the watchers
themselves, were convinced that the hunger artist cheated. Such suspicions annoyed the
hunger artist, as did the forty-day limit imposed on his fasting by his promoter, or "impresario".
The impresario insisted that after forty days public sympathy for the hunger artist inevitably
declined. The hunger artist, however, found the time limit irksome and arbitrary, as it
prevented him from bettering his own record, from fasting indefinitely. At the end of a fast the
hunger artist, amid highly theatrical fanfare, would be carried from his cage and made to eat,
both of which he always resented.
2.1 Literature Review :

many books and article have been published about stylistic analysis and the writers of those
books have pointed out view about stylistic .
the researcher will describe some of the view of different writter about stylistic .
according to katie wale "The goal of most stylistics is not simply to describe the formal features
of texts for their own sake, but in order to show their functional significance for the
interpretation of the text; or in order to relate literary effects to linguistic 'causes' where these
are felt to be relevant.( in dictionary of stylistic . Pearson, 2001),
according to Widdowson (1997) defines Stylistics as “he study of literary discourse from a
linguistic orientation” and he goes on “…what distinguishes stylistics from literary criticism on
the one hand and linguistics on the other is that it is essentially a means of linking the two.
According to carter and long ‘ Stylistics mainly explains the relationship between the text and its
context; its aim is “…to use the analysis to promote understanding of the literary purposes and
functions to which particular uses of language are put.” (Carter & Long, 1992) (p.121)
Fowler discusses literature as social discourse; both reader and literary text are included in a
social frame: 'as discourses, all kinds of ways are open to interpret and describe (literary texts)
in terms of their vital cultural functions'(1981:7).
According to Halliday and Hassan (1976), it is cohesion that establishes this continuity, and
cohesive ties which give us access to it: 'The concept of ties makes it possible to analyze a text
in terms of its cohesive properties and give a systematic account of its patterns of texture'
(1976:4)
Stylistics reminds us that our goal is still the coherent interpretation of literary text as
discourse. As Widdowson states: 'It is only when we see how items converge on a common
frame of reference that we make sense of connections and achieve coherence in discourse'
(1983:70).
In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, Crystal observes that, in practice, most stylistic
analysis has attempted to deal with the complex and ‘valued’ language within literature, i.e.
According to Leech and Shorts and their approach about tylistic abalysis …..
‘literary st Literary stylistics has, implicitly or explicitly, the goal of explaining the relation
between language and artistic function.
However, when confronted with the challenge of presenting a satisfactory and reliable
methodology for prose style analysis, even Spitzer seemed helplessylistics’.( Leech, G. and
Short, M. (2001). Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose Foreign
Language.
Beijing: Teaching and Research Press )
According to Carter (1989)’ style is generally depends on linguistic levels. Due to these levels
every text and writing is different from the others, hence every genre is different.’( Carter, R.
(1989). What is stylistics and why do we teach it in different ways? In M.Short, (Ed), Reading,
Analysing and Teaching Literature. London: Longman)
According to Haynes ‘ style is the study of distinctions; looking at what was said against what
might have been said.’ ( Haynes, J. (1989), Introducing Stylistics, London & New York: Unwin
Hyman Ltd.)
Lawal (1997) describes style as an aspect of language that deals with choices of diction,
phrases, sentences and linguistic materials that are consistent and harmonious with the subject
matter. (Lawal, R. A. (1997), Pragmatics in Stylistics: A speech – Act Analysis of Soyinka’s 5.
Telephone Conversation, R.A Lawal (ed.) Stylistics in theory and practice, Ilorin: Paragon books.)
According to Leech (1969) style is the way in which something is spoken, written or performed.
It refers to use of words, sentences, struct nookures and speaking style.( Leech, G. (1969), A
linguistic guide to English Poetry, London: Longman)
Birch (1989) believes that both language and style cannot moves beyond a limit on the
supremacy of words. He strongly believes that these words contain specific meanings which
differs it from the ordinary language.( Birch, D. (1989), Language, literature, and critical practice
: Ways of Analysing text, London and Newyork : Routledge.)
Leech and Short (1981) also said that it is the selection of the words from a grand linguistic
vocabulary.( Leech, G. and Short, M.H. (1981), Style in Fiction: A linguistic introduction to
English Fictional prose, London: Longman.)
3. Reserch methodology :
3.1 Method of reserch :

There are three types of reserch method .One is quantitative and second is qualititave and third
is mix . The method used by the writer in this reserch is qualititave method that will use
desciptive analysis .descriptive analysis method is used to analysis the stylistic effect . in this
reserch , the main focus of analysis stylistic goes to lexiacal categories applied on ‘ A hunger
artist ‘ . the resercher is going to use stylistic approach to explain how do the elements of
language can describe the lexican that choosen by writter and its functional .
3.2 Data analysis technique :

In this process the resercher will give some of data analysis techniqu .First, the resercher reads
the short story ‘ a hunger artist ‘ deeply and understand comprehinsievly . Secondly the
resercher finds the lexical categories , noun ,adjective and verb implying on this short story .
Thirdly , resercher gives a code of variable , finally gives analysis of clause in the part of verb as
the proess of ideational function.
3.3 Objectives :
1 . To explain the lexical catgery and its functional significance for the interpretation of the text
2.to explain the writer’s choise of language and its individual quality
3.4 Reserch question :

What is the effects of lexical analysis in literary text ?
How the lexical analysis shows functional significance for the interpretation of the text ?
3.5 Significance :
In general this reserch can be used to inrich the study of literature , and to give the constructive
contribution to development of literary study of short story , especially in stylistic that focus on
lexical analysis .academically , those who like to study about lexical category that describe the
lexical analysis and its functional feature in short story , and it will be very helpfull for those
reader who interest in lexical analysis .
References :
Birch, D. (1989), Language, literature, and critical practice : Ways of Analysing text, London and
Newyork : Routledge
Carter, R. (1989). What is stylistics and why do we teach it in different ways? In M.Short, (Ed),
Reading, Analysing and Teaching Literature. London: Longman..
Crystal observation (1985) In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language
Carter, R. (1989). What is stylistics and why do we teach it in different ways? In M.Short, (Ed),
Reading, Analysing and Teaching Literature. London: Longman
Haynes, J. (1989), Introducing Stylistics, London & New York: Unwin Hyman Ltd.
Katie wale 2001 in dictionary of stylistic 2nd edition , (Harlow ;longman) . Pearson,
Leech, G. (1969), A linguistic guide to English Poetry, London: Longman .
Lawal, R. A. (1997), Pragmatics in Stylistics: A speech – Act Analysis of Soyinka’s 5. Telephone

Conversation, R.A Lawal (ed.) Stylistics in theory and practice, Ilorin: Paragon books
Leech, G. and Short, M.H. (1981), Style in Fiction: A linguistic introduction to English Fictional
prose, London: Longman.
Roger Fowler 1996. Linguistic Criticism, 2nd edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press
Widdowson, H.G. 1975. Stylistics and the teaching of literature. Longman: London

Lexical Analysis of Franz Kafkas Short Story " A Hunger Artist

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lexical Analysis of Franz Kafkas Short Story " A Hunger Artist

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lexical Analysis of Franz Kafkas Short Story " A Hunger Artist

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LEXICAL ANALYSIS OF FRANZ KAFKAS SHORT STORY

Muhammad Hamza Qureshi

Submited To Mam Salma Khatoon

Kohat University Of Science And Technology

2.1 Literature Review :

Beijing: Teaching and Research Press )

3.1 Method of reserch :

3.2 Data analysis technique :

3.4 Reserch question :

Crystal observation (1985) In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language

Lawal, R. A. (1997), Pragmatics in Stylistics: A speech – Act Analysis of Soyinka’s 5. Telephone

You might also like