Huck Finn Essay -- essays research papers

Two people taking a trip down a river, is rarely thought of as anything more than just an adventure. Mark Twain, however, uses his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to explore and makes fun of many problems facing American society. Huck, the main character, is considered a boy who is under pressure to conform to the aspects of society. Jim, who comes along with Huck, is a runaway slave seeking freedom from the world that has been denied it to him for so long. Throughout the entire novel Twain uses satire to show problems with society. Early in the novel, Huck scampers away with his good friend Tom and his other buddies. The boys form a gang and then decide one of their tasks in the gang will be to kidnap people and, hold them for ransom. The problem with their plan to kidnap people and hold them for ransom is their misunderstanding of the word â€Å"ransomâ€Å". Tom has a relative idea what the word means, "But per'aps if we keep them till they're ransomed, it means that we keep them till they're dead."(12) All of the boys go along with Tom‘s meaning because he is the leader. In this part of the novel, Twain uses satire to show that even though something may be truly wrong, if society adopts it to be true, then it is known to be true. Throughout the book Twain‘s issue is with slavery, in this instance of satire. During the time period in which The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written, religion was as much an integral part of civilization, as was an educati...

Baptist Confessional Paper

When comparing one item to the other there will always be differences and similarities this is the essitanial aspect of comparing. For purposes of this paper, the two Anabaptist confessions, which will be looked at, are as follows. The New Hampshire Baptist Confession and the Free- Will Baptist Confession. The Basis of the New Hampshire Confession rests on the Calvinistic view of theology verses the Free-Will Baptist whose foundation is rooted in the Armenian aspects of theology. The very core of the differences between these two confessions lies in the positions of Armenian and Calvin theology, which will be the focus of this paper. An added difference, which warrants a little time is the stance the Free Will, took from the New Hampshire on the view of Ordinances of the church. Wrapping up will focus on how doctrinal differences between the two will affect the movements in their spheres of influence. Doctrine on God The focus of theology starts with a look at God, who He is and how He responds to those He has created. The view of God a person chooses will direct the flow of the flow of the person's theology. This being said the discussion would start with God. The New Hampshire Baptist (NHB) believed that God knew all things and therefore new exactly what would happen even before it happened because He determined it that way. The NHB looked at God as having complete and utter sovereignty over all creation. It is under this notion the NHB believed that God knew those who would chose to become His elect from the sinful nature of humanity. The NHB looked at this as an outpouring of God to all that would choose to live for Him. The NHB looked at this as God's â€Å"eternal purpose. One of the areas this confession does not mention is why God chooses one over another. God election is solely based upon His goodness and holiness, that He would be glorified according to His nature. God places His glory above all things in so much He commands there will be no other God before Him. On the other hand, the Free-Will Baptist (FWB) believes God does not preordain people to be called to Him. FWB believes God only ordains the ends, not the middle, or the means. The FWB believes God gives humankind a sort of power. This power would be considered free will. Free will or the power to choose and therefore determine what things may come by the hand of man. The FWB believe God governs by† moral law and motives† men were thought of as having the ability to bring about the ends He desired. FWB could not understand how a man could be responsible for his action if he does not have the freedom to create possibilities of his own choosing. FWB attempts to break down the concept of the NHB and the idea of God having foreknowledge of all things verses His foreordination of all things. The FWB believes that all things are with God from the beginning to the end. The FWB believe God's knowledge of the events does not cause them to happen, the FWB also believe that not all the things God knows will happen. FWB knows that God is omniscience but they deny His foreordination of all things such as the HHB does. The FWB have an understanding to which makes God in some very dependent of the creature or creation. They also have an issue with God's foreknowledge and His foreordination and could not break apart the bond between them. Although both needed to define God's omnipotence. God knows what will happen and what will cause thing to happen, therefore while He knows some of the happenings, He also knows what will be needed should we need a way out. FWB focuses on God's willingness to act on certain things or react and allow history to unfold as it would. The Nature of Man The NHC confession of Faith believes the fall of man from a state of joy and communion with God is due to the free will of man. Due to this fall, humanity is separated from God and therefore doomed to an eternal death without excuse because of its own choice. This idea follows along with Calvinism's doctrine of Total Depravity. Although the NHC falls along the lines of Calvinism there are quite a few aspects of the doctrine they did not follow such as man's spiritual deadness, black minds dark hearts, and shackles to sin, as well as man's incapability to change. On the other hand, the FWB builds their faith upon the presupposition that God gives every man free will. FWB believe that although this free will caused men to fall that by the same free will men can choose to change their present state by Christ. The FWB anthropology is closely linked within their outlook on Christology, with its focus on Atonement of Jesus. Atonement The NHB hold strongly to the foundation of â€Å"full atonement. † The NHB believe that atone was a two part concept which involved a universal and a limited area. The universal part took the stance that Christ atonement was sufficient for the salvation all humankind. The limited area was efficient for only the elect of God. NHB held that Christ knew whom He was giving His life for, and these few were by far and large secure in their salvation. The FWB held a special place in the confession of faith when speaking of salvation. The idea can be summed up in the following words â€Å"The call of the Gospel is co-extensive with the atonement to all me, birth by word and the striving of the Spirit, so that salvation is rendered equally possible to all; and if any fail of eternal life, the fault is wholly his own†. The FWB held to the belief men would be changed to a point where they would be able to choose for themselves salvation. When Christ gave His life this supplied the salvation to those that would believe, but the atonement would not be applied to this salvation. The only way the application of Christ's atonement would be placed on a man once he believed in Christ as Lord and savior then through the Spirit the atonement would apply to this person. The Influence of the Holy Spirit NHB hold fast to the belief that God's grace begins the regeneration process through the workings of the Holy Spirit within the person. The gift is given freely to those who choose a relationship with God. God decrees in order for many people to hear the word of God and thus hear of salvation to all that would accept this call by the Holy Spirit. The NHB also adhere to the fact that those who will continue to reject the promoting of the Spirit upon their hearts would not be forced to live for God. One of the doctrines of the HNB would follow that God does not care to follow people in this way. FWB have an outlook such that to say God loves those of His elect different than those outside His elect would strike up an argument. The FWB believe God's atonement is equal for all people and therefore His calling upon the hearts of man are equal. God would place people in places where they are faced with the decision to call upon Him for atonement but the actual turning away from self and acceptance of atonement is men alone. God cannot choose the right decision or the wrong decision in the doctrine of the FWB. Perseverance of the Saints The NHB like any other denomination will follow its doctrines to their logical conclusions. Believing is â€Å"wrought in our souls† because of the regenerating Spirit of God's work within His elect is â€Å"wholly of grace† then the preservation of those elect in a state of salvation is entirely based on the power of God. If God wants, you saved then you will be saved. On the other hand, the FWB hold fast to their doctrine to which if the act of believing comes from a man's few will then his choice to remain in the salvation state is also from his free will. A blurb from their doctrine defines it clearly† future obedience and final salvation are neither determined nor certain, since through infirmity and manifold temptation they are in danger of falling. † The Sacraments The NHB state in their confession there are only two ordinances they hold to. The first being the Baptism and the second being the Lord's Supper. However, the FWB also holds the Lord's Supper and the Baptism of its members but adds a third, which is washing the feet of the Saints. Conclusion In conclusion of the findings between these two different groups is very clear. The doctrines to which govern these groups are first and for most deep-rooted, and secondly quite different. It would be interesting at the very least to see a debate between these groups. It is quite clear the Free Will Baptist doctrine focus is centered on the man. The man makes up his own mind, the man continues to follow his own decision or not. This idea of man focused is can be seen not only in Christianity but also in new age and many other religions worldwide. While on the other hand the focus of the New Hampshire Baptist is solely, focus on God. Their entire doctrine is focused on a position of humility, peace, love, and joy from the man towards his creator. Though both have their many differences, the bottom line is both were different from the norm of their time and were hunted because they sought many differences from the power of the state-church at that time.

Arabian Nights: Sinbad the Porter and Sinbad the Sailor Essay

Sinbad the Porter and Sinbad the Sailor Like the 1001 Nights the Sinbad story-cycle has a frame story, which goes as follows: in the days of Haroun al-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad, a poor porter (one who carries goods for others in the market and throughout the city) pauses to rest on a bench outside the gate of a rich merchant’s house, where he complains to Allah about the injustice of a world which allows the rich to live in ease while he must toil and yet remain poor. The owner of the house hears, and sends for the porter, and it is found they are both named Sinbad. The rich Sinbad tells the poor Sinbad that he became wealthy, â€Å"by Fortune and Fate†, in the course of seven wondrous voyages, which he then proceeds to relate. A sailing port in the Arabian Sea. The First Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor After dissipating the wealth left to him by his father, Sinbad goes to sea to repair his fortune. He sets ashore on what appears to be an island, but this island proves to be a gigantic sleeping whale on which trees have taken root ever since the world was young. Awakened by a fire kindled by the sailors, the whale dives into the depths, the ship departs without Sinbad, and Sinbad is saved by the chance of a passing wooden trough sent by the grace of Allah. He is washed ashore on a densely wooded island. While exploring the deserted island he comes across one of the king’s grooms. When Sinbad helps save the King’s mare from being drowned by a sea horse—not a seahorse as we know it, but a supernatural horse that lives underwater—the groom brings Sinbad to the king. The king befriends Sinbad and so he rises in the king’s favour becoming a trusted courtier. One day, the very ship on which Sinbad set sail docks at the island, and he reclaims his goods (still in the ship’s hold). Sinbad gives the king his goods and in return the king gives him rich presents. Sinbad sells these presents for a great profit. Sinbad returns to Baghdad where he resumes a life of ease and pleasure. With the ending of the tale, Sinbad the sailor makes Sinbad the porter a gift of a hundred gold pieces, and bids him return the next day to hear more about his adventures. Sindbad the Sailor and the valley of the Diamonds. The Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor On the second day of Sinbad’s tale-telling—but the 549th night of Scheherazade’s, for she has been breaking her tale each morning in order to arouse the interest of the homicidal king, and make him spare her life for one more night—Sinbad the sailor tells how he grew restless of his life of leisure, and set to sea again, â€Å"possessed with the thought of traveling about the world of men and seeing their cities and islands.† Accidentally abandoned by his shipmates again, he finds himself stranded in an island which contains roc eggs. After attaching himself to a roc, he is transported to a valley of giant snakes which can swallow elephants, and a roc which preys upon them. The floor of the valley is carpeted with diamonds, and merchants harvest these by throwing huge chunks of meat into the valley which the birds then carry back to their nests, where the men drive them away and collect the diamonds stuck to the meat. The wily Sinbad straps one of the pieces of meat to his back and is carried back to the nest along with a large sack full of precious gems. Rescued from the nest by the merchants, he returns to Baghdad with a fortune in diamonds, seeing many marvels along the way. The Third Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor Restless for travel and adventure, Sinbad sets sail again from Basra. But by ill chance he and his companions are cast up on an island where they are captured by, â€Å"a huge creature in the likeness of a man, black of colour, †¦ with eyes like coals of fire and eye-teeth like boar’s tusks and a vast big gape like the mouth of a well. Moreover, he had long loose lips like camels’, hanging down upon his breast and ears like two Jarms falling over his shoulder-blades and the nails of his hands were like the claws of a lion.† This monster begins eating the crew, beginning with the Reis (captain), who is the fattest. (Burton notes that the giant â€Å"is distinctly Polyphemus†). Sinbad hatches a plan to blind the beast (again, obvious parallels with the story of Polyphemus in Homer’s Odyssey), with the two red-hot iron spits with which the monster has been kebabing and roasting the ship’s company. He and the remaining men escape on a raft they had constructed the day before. However due to the Giant’s mate most of the escaping men are hit by rocks and killed. After further adventures (including a gigantic python from which Sinbad escapes thanks to his quick wits), he returns to Baghdad, wealthier than ever. The Fourth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor Sinbad and the giant roc. Impelled by restlessness Sinbad takes to the seas again, and, as usual, is shipwrecked. The naked savages amongst whom he finds himself feed his companions a herb which robs them of their reason (Burton theorises that this might be bhang), prior to fattening them for the table. Sinbad realises what is happening, and refuses to eat the madness-inducing plant. When the cannibals have lost interest in him, he escapes. A party of itinerant pepper-gatherers transports him to their own island, where their king befriends him and gives him a beautiful and wealthy wife. Too late Sinbad learns of a peculiar custom of the land: on the death of one marriage partner, the other is buried alive with his or her spouse, both in their finest clothes and most costly jewels. Sinbad’s wife falls ill and dies soon after, leaving Sinbad trapped in an underground cavern, a communal tomb, with a jug of water and seven pieces of bread. Just as these meagre supplies are almost exhausted, another coupleà ¢â‚¬â€the husband dead, the wife alive—are dropped into the cavern. Sinbad bludgeons the wife to death and takes her rations. Such episodes continue; soon he has a sizable store of bread and water, as well as the gold and gems from the corpses, but is still unable to escape, until one day a wild animal shows him a passage to the outside, high above the sea. From here a passing ship rescues him and carries him back to Baghdad, where he gives alms to the poor and resumes his life of pleasure. (Burton’s footnote comments: â€Å"This tale is evidently taken from the escape of Aristomenes the Messenian from the pit into which he had been thrown, a fox being his guide. The Arabs in an early day were eager students of Greek literature.†) Similarly, the first half of the voyage resembles the Circe episode in The Odyssey, with certain differences: while a plant robbed Sinbad’s men of their reason in the Arab tales, it was only Circe’s magic which â€Å"fattened† Odysseus’ men in The Odyssey. It is in an earlier episode, featuring the ‘Lotus Eaters’, that Odysseus’ men are fed a similar magical fruit which robs them of their senses. Sindbad’s fifth voyage The Fifth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor â€Å"When I had been a while on shore after my fourth voyage; and when, in my comfort and pleasures and merry-makings and in my rejoicing over my large gains and profits, I had forgotten all I had endured of perils and sufferings, the carnal man was again seized with the longing to travel and to see foreign countries and islands.† Soon at sea once more, while passing a desert island Sinbad’s crew spots a gigantic egg that Sinbad recognizes as belonging to a roc. Out of curiosity the ship’s passengers disembark to view the egg, only to end up breaking it and having the chick inside as a meal. Sinbad immediately recognizes the folly of their behavior and orders all back aboard ship. However, the infuriated parent rocs soon catch up with the vessel and destroy it by dropping giant boulders they have carried in their talons.[8] Shipwrecked yet again, Sinbad is enslaved by the Old Man of the Sea, who rides on his shoulders with his legs twisted round Sinbad’s neck and will not let go, riding him both day and night until Sinbad would welcome death. (Burton’s footnote discusses possible origins for the old man—the orang-utan, the Greek triton—and favours the African custom of riding on slaves in this way.[9]) Sinbad during sixth voyage Eventually, Sinbad makes wine and tricks the Old Man into drinking some, then Sinbad kills him after he has fallen off and escapes. A ship carries him to the City of the Apes, a place whose inhabitants spend each night in boats off-shore, while their town is abandoned to man-eating apes. Yet through the apes Sinbad recoups his fortune, and so eventually finds a ship which takes him home once more to Baghdad. The Sixth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor â€Å"My soul yearned for travel and traffic†. Sinbad is shipwrecked yet again, this time quite violently as his ship is dashed to pieces on tall cliffs. There is no food to be had anywhere, and Sinbad’s companions die of starvation until only he is left. He builds a raft and discovers a river running out of a cavern beneath the cliffs. The stream proves to be filled with precious stones and becomes apparent that the island’s streams flow with ambergris. He falls asleep as he journeys through the darkness and awakens in the city of the king of Serendib (Ceylon, Sri Lanka), â€Å"diamonds are in its rivers and pearls are in its valleys†. The king marvels at what Sinbad tells him of the great Haroun al-Rashid, and asks that he take a present back to Baghdad on his behalf, a cup carved from a single ruby, with other gifts including a bed made from the skin of the serpent that swallowed the elephant[10] (â€Å"and whoso sitteth upon it never sickeneth†), and â€Å"a hundred thousand miskals of Sindh lign-aloesa†, and a slave-girl â€Å"like a shining moon†. And so Sinbad returns to Baghdad, where the Caliph wonders greatly at the reports Sinbad gives of the land of Ceylon. The Seventh and Last Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor â€Å"The Caravan† from â€Å"Sinbad’s Seventh and Last Voyage.† The ever-restless Sinbad sets sail once more, with the usual result. Cast up on a desolate shore, he constructs a raft and floats down a nearby river to a great city. Here the chief of the merchants weds Sinbad to his daughter, names him his heir, and conveniently dies. The inhabitants of this city are transformed once a month into birds, and Sinbad has one of the bird-people carry him to the uppermost reaches of the sky, where he hears the angels glorifying God, â€Å"whereat I wondered and exclaimed, ‘Praised be God! Extolled be the perfection of God!'† But no sooner are the words out than there comes fire from heaven which all but consumes the bird-men. The bird-people are angry with Sinbad and set him down on a mountain-top, where he meets two youths who are the servants of God and who give him a golden staff; returning to the city, Sinbad learns from his wife that the bird-men are devils, although she and her father are not of their number. And so, at his wife’s suggestion, Sinbad sells all his possessions and returns with her to Baghdad, where at last he resolves to live quietly in the enjoyment of his wealth, and to seek no more adventures. Burton includes a variant of the seventh tale, in which Haroun al-Rashid asks Sinbad to carry a return gift to the king of Serendib. Sinbad replies, â€Å"By Allah the Omnipotent, O my lord, I have taken a loathing to wayfare, and when I hear the words ‘Voyage’ or ‘Travel,’ my limbs tremble†. He then tells the Caliph of his misfortunate voyages; Haroun agrees that with such a history â€Å"thou dost only right never even to talk of travel†. Nevertheless, a command of the Caliph is not to be gainsayed, and Sinbad sets forth on this, his uniquely diplomatic voyage. The king of Serendip is well pleased with the Caliph’s gifts (which include, inter alia, the food tray of King Solomon) and showers Sinbad with his favour. On the return voyage the usual catastrophe strikes: Sinbad is captured and sold into slavery. His master sets him to shooting elephants with a bow and arrow, which he does until the king of the elephants carries him off to the elephants’ graveyard. Sinbad’s master is so pleased with the huge quantities of ivory in the graveyard that he sets Sinbad free, and Sinbad returns to Baghdad, rich with ivory and gold. â€Å"Here I went in to the Caliph and, after saluting him and kissing hands, informed him of all that had befallen me; whereupon he rejoiced in my safety and thanked Almighty Allah; and he made my story be written in letters of gold. I then entered my house and met my family and brethren: and such is the end of the history that happened to me during my seven voyages. Praise be to Allah, the One, the Creator, the Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth!†. In some versions we return to the frame story, in which Sinbad the Porter may receive a final generous gift from Sinbad the Sailor. In other versions the story cycle ends here, and there is no further mention of Sinbad the Porter.

Federal Policy Changes Due to September 11 essays

Federal Policy Changes Due to September 11 essays The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. illustrated how vulnerable our country really is to terrorist attacks. They also showed the lack of security and readiness in most of the nation's airports and places of entry. The Federal Government realized it must take a hard look at security policies, and create new policies to guide the nation through its' time of grieving and even fear. The government created the Homeland Security department, which is in charge of protecting the nation, as well as warning the nation of terrorism threats with their color-coded terrorism warning system. Green means the threat is lowest, and red means the threat is the highest. The Homeland Security department also created much stricter standards for inspecting airline passengers, and created the "USA PATRIOT Act," which in essence gives intelligence bureaus the right to spy and catch transmissions via phone, computer, and other areas if the agency feels they are a threat to national safety and well being. The PATRIOT Act is highly contentious because many people feel their citizens' rights are at stake. They feel the country is turning into "big brother," with far too much power and might over the people. One writer says, "It is widely held that one possessing power is potentially dangerous" (Stone, 2002). This seems to be the case with the Federal Government as the administration exercises its' control over the nation and the world. Another writer states, "We should avoid the temptation - a strong one, given the enduring emotional impact of the attacks in the United States - of telescoping all our resources, priorities, and thinking toward one worry" (Arthur, 2002). As the nation reflects on the terrorist attacks, the first and seemingly enduring reaction is to protect against more attacks while zeroing in on Al- Qaeda and other terrorist organizations around the world. This is ...

Daltons Law of Partial Pressures - Worked Problem

Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures - Worked Problem Daltons Law of Partial Pressures, or Daltons Law, states that the total pressure of a gas in a container is the sum of the partial pressures of the individual gases in the container. Here is a worked example problem showing how to use Daltons Law to calculate the pressure of a gas. Review Dalton's Law Daltons Law of Partial Pressures is a gas law that can be stated: Ptotal P1 P2 P3 ... Pn where P1, P2, P3, Pn are the partial pressures of the individual gases in the mixture. Example Dalton's Law Calculation The pressure of a mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen is 150 kPa. What is the partial pressure of oxygen if the partial pressures of the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are 100 kPA and 24 kPa, respectively? For this example, you can simply plug the numbers into the equation and solve for the unknown quantity. P Pnitrogen Pcarbon dioxide Poxygen 150 kPa 100 kPa 24 kPa Poxygen Poxygen 150 kPa - 100 kPa - 24 kPa Poxygen 26 kPa Check your work. Its a good idea to add up the partial pressure to make sure the sum is the total pressure!

All About the French Verb Falloir

All About the French Verb Falloir Falloir is an irregular impersonal French verb that is better known in its conjugated form: il faut. Falloir means to be necessary or to need. It is impersonal, meaning that it has only one grammatical person: the third person singular. It may be followed by the subjunctive, an infinitive, or a noun. Examples of Falloir   Ã‚  Ã‚  Il faut partirIts necessary to leaveIl faut que nous partionsWe have to leaveIl faut de largent pour faire à §aIts necessary to have / You need money to do thatWhen falloir is followed by an infinitive or noun, it may be used with an indirect object pronoun to indicate who or what needs whatever comes next:Il faut mangerIts necessary to eatIl nous faut mangerWe have to eatIl faut une voitureIts necessary to have a carIl me faut une voitureI need a car Expressions with Falloir Falloir is used in a number of expressions, including:ce quil faut - what is neededIl a bien fallu  ! - I/We/They had to!sil le faut - if (its) necessaryFaudrait voir voir (informal) - Come on! Come off it!Il faut ce quil faut (informal) - Youve got to do things right S'en falloir The impersonal pronominal construction sen falloir means to be missing or short of something, as in this action did not occur because something was missing:Tu as ratà © son appel, il sen est fallu de 10 minutesYou missed his call by 10 minutesJe nai pas perdu, mais il sen est fallu de peuI very nearly lost (I didnt lose, but it was close) Conjugations Here are the most common tenses of falloir.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Present tense  Ã‚  Ã‚  il fautImperfect  Ã‚  Ã‚  il fallaitFuture  Ã‚  Ã‚  il faudra

Franz Kafkas A Hunger Artist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Franz Kafkas A Hunger Artist - Essay Example Insofar as his purpose is not understood and his act of starvation is viewed suspiciously, the hunger artist emerges as an absurd figure. The absurdity of the hunger artist, however, is the absurdity of the human condition and of life itself. To this extent, and despite the unrealistic nature of the story, "A Hunger Artist" can be interpreted as a metaphor for life, a realistic exposition of the human condition, and a parable. The Hunger Artist's inability to communicate the intent of his act of starvation to the people and his commitment to his art does not simply imply the absurdity of his life's work but highlights the meaninglessness of life itself. Kafka's protagonist, a painfully thin man, is locked in a cage by his manager, his impresario, with whom he signed a contract giving him the authority to lock up and starve the artist for a period of forty days. Day after day, for forty days, he just sits in his cage, fasting, watching others watch him, and admire his ability to starve. Meanwhile, three butchers supposedly watch over him to ensure that he does not cheat and break his fast but, instead of keeping an eye on him, they deliberately let him alone. Although they do this out of kindness and to give him an opportunity to eat from the food they believe he has hidden somewhere in his cage. However, the hunger artist views this as an insulting lack of appreciation for, and belief in, his art. When th e forty days are over, he is let out of his cage and led into the town with a marching band. After a few days of rest and food, he begins his fast again. In other words, he is trapped in a continuous cycle of forty days fasting, brief break, forty days fasting and so on. His work/art, insofar as it is not understood as an art, is absurd; his unique ability for self-starvation is absurd as there are many who do not believe he is truly fasting; and, ultimately, his life is reduced to an absurd and meaningless cycle of starvation. As incredible as "A Hunger Artist" and its protagonist are, it is a realistic, although metaphorical, representation of life and the human condition. The story is about the concept of achievement, of doing something incredible and, accordingly, attracting recognition and respect. The protagonist's unique ability, however, is not viewed as an accomplishment worthy of respect but as something fascinating which, at best, will only attract disbelieving stares. The point here is that we, as the readers, should not just see this incredible accomplishment as simply referring to starvation and fasting but as referring to many things, whether they are ideas, inventions or even services that one person has done for men. In other words, this story can be read as focusing on the fact that most people no longer give others, or great things, the appreciation that they deserve. In that case, doing something great or extending an important service to the world becomes absurd and meaningless. For one , people will search for the weak points in that great accomplishment or service, such as when the butchers assumed and believed that the Hunger Artist was cheating and eating. That is, some people will search for the flaws and bring that great thing down, making it loose some of its value. Others will exploit it, as the impresario did with the Hunger Artist. This is exactly what Kafka is saying and important to quote