Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 20th-century prose fiction
- A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka
An extract from a work first published in 1922.
This extract is taken from Franz Kafka’s short story A Hunger Artist (1922), describing a hunger artist whose public fasting performances are losing popularity. It shows changing audiences, suspicious watchers, and the artist’s rigid discipline, exploring themes of spectacle, authenticity, and isolation.
Source A
1 In the last decades interest in hunger artists has declined considerably. Whereas in earlier days there was good money to be earned putting on major productions of this sort under one’s own management, nowadays that is totally impossible. Those were different times. Back then the hunger artist captured the attention of the entire city. From day to day while the fasting lasted,
6 participation increased. Everyone wanted to see the hunger artist at least daily. During the final days there were people with subscription tickets who sat all day in front of the small barred cage. And there were even viewing hours at night, their impact heightened by torchlight. On fine days the cage was dragged out into the open air, and then the hunger artist was put on
11 display particularly for the children. While for grown-ups the hunger artist was often merely a joke, something they participated in because it was fashionable, the children looked on amazed, their mouths open, holding each other’s hands for safety, as he sat there on scattered straw—spurning a chair—in a black tights, looking pale, with his ribs sticking out prominently,
16 sometimes nodding politely, answering questions with a forced smile, even sticking his arm out through the bars to let people feel how emaciated he was, but then completely sinking back into himself, so that he paid no attention to anything, not even to what was so important to him, the striking of the clock, which was the single furnishing in the cage, merely looking out in front of
21 him with his eyes almost shut and now and then sipping from a tiny glass of water to moisten his lips. Apart from the changing groups of spectators there were also constant observers chosen by the public—strangely enough they were usually
26 butchers—who, always three at a time, were given the task of observing the hunger artist day and night, so that he didn’t get something to eat in some secret manner. It was, however, merely a formality, introduced to reassure the masses, for those who understood knew well enough that during the period of fasting the hunger artist would never, under any circumstances, have eaten the
31 slightest thing, not even if compelled by force. The honour of his art forbade it. Naturally, none of the watchers understood that. Sometimes there were nightly groups of watchers who carried out their vigil very laxly, deliberately sitting together in a distant corner and putting all their attention into playing cards there, clearly intending to allow the hunger
36 artist a small refreshment, which, according to their way of thinking, he could get from some secret supplies. Nothing was more excruciating to the hunger artist than such watchers. They depressed him. They made his fasting terribly difficult. Sometimes he overcame his weakness and sang during the time they were observing, for as long as he could keep it up, to show people
41 how unjust their suspicions about him were. But that was little help. For then they just wondered among themselves about his skill at being able to eat even while singing. He much preferred the observers who sat down right against the bars and, not satisfied with the dim backlighting of the room, illuminated him with electric flashlights. The glaring light didn’t bother him in the
46 slightest. Generally he couldn’t sleep at all, and he could always doze under any lighting and at any hour, even in an overcrowded, noisy auditorium. With such observers, he was very happily prepared to spend the entire night without sleeping. He was very pleased to joke with them, to recount stories from his nomadic life and then, in turn, to listen their stories—doing everything just
51 to keep them awake, so that he could keep showing them once again that he had nothing to eat in his cage and that he was fasting as none of them could. He was happiest, however, when morning came and a lavish breakfast was brought for them at his own expense, on which they hurled themselves with the appetite
56 of healthy men after a hard night’s work without sleep. True, there were still people who wanted to see in this breakfast an unfair means of influencing the observers, but that was going too far, and if they were asked whether they wanted to undertake the observers’ night shift for its own sake, without the breakfast, they excused themselves. But nonetheless they stood by their
61 suspicions.
Questions
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Use black ink or black ball point pen.
- Fill in the boxes on this page.
- You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
- Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
- Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
- You must refer to the insert booklet provided.
- You must not use a dictionary.
Information
- The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
- Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
- The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
- There are 40 marks for Section A and 40 marks for Section B.
- You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your reading in Section A.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your writing in Section B.
Advice
- You are advised to spend about 15 minutes reading through the source and all five questions you have to answer.
- You should make sure you leave sufficient time to check your answers.
Section A: Reading
Answer all questions in this section. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section.
Answer Questions 1 to 4 using Source A, an extract about a public fasting performer, and then complete Question 5.
Question 1
Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 5.
Answer all parts of this question.
Choose one answer for each question.
1.1 What change does the narrator describe in public interest and in the ability to profit from hunger artist performances?
- Public interest has declined, and staging profitable productions under the hunger artist's management is now impossible.
- Public interest has increased, and major productions now earn more than before.
- Public interest has remained steady, and the hunger artist still attracts the attention of an entire city.
[1 mark]
1.2 In earlier days, what could be earned by putting on productions of this sort?
- good money
- little money
- no money
[1 mark]
1.3 Which statement best summarises the narrator's comparison between earlier days and the present for hunger artist shows?
- Hunger artist shows were once profitable and drew city-wide attention, but now interest has fallen and running such shows independently is no longer feasible.
- Hunger artist shows were once difficult to organise and poorly attended, but now independent shows are straightforward and public interest is rising.
- Hunger artist shows have attracted similar levels of attention and income in both periods, with little change over time.
[1 mark]
1.4 What contrast does the narrator draw between earlier days and the present regarding hunger artist performances?
- In the past, large self-managed shows were profitable and drew city-wide attention; now such shows are no longer possible and interest has fallen.
- In the past, hunger artists were obscure and poorly paid; now they are popular and well paid.
- In the past and the present, hunger artist performances have had similar levels of attention and income.
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 1 to 15 of the source:
1 In the last decades interest in hunger artists has declined considerably. Whereas in earlier days there was good money to be earned putting on major productions of this sort under one’s own management, nowadays that is totally impossible. Those were different times. Back then the hunger artist captured the attention of the entire city. From day to day while the fasting lasted,
6 participation increased. Everyone wanted to see the hunger artist at least daily. During the final days there were people with subscription tickets who sat all day in front of the small barred cage. And there were even viewing hours at night, their impact heightened by torchlight. On fine days the cage was dragged out into the open air, and then the hunger artist was put on
11 display particularly for the children. While for grown-ups the hunger artist was often merely a joke, something they participated in because it was fashionable, the children looked on amazed, their mouths open, holding each other’s hands for safety, as he sat there on scattered straw—spurning a chair—in a black tights, looking pale, with his ribs sticking out prominently,
How does the writer use language here to present the public’s reactions to the hunger artist and the atmosphere around his display? You could include the writer’s choice of:
- words and phrases
- language features and techniques
- sentence forms.
[8 marks]
Question 3
You now need to think about the structure of the source as a whole. This text is from the start of a story.
How has the writer structured the text to create a sense of irony?
You could write about:
- how irony develops throughout the source
- how the writer uses structure to create an effect
- the writer's use of any other structural features, such as changes in mood, tone or perspective.
[8 marks]
Question 4
For this question focus on the second part of the source, from line 21 to the end.
In this part of the source, where the children stare in amazement while the adults treat it like a joke, it might seem that the artist is just a bit of fun. The writer suggests that there is something genuinely disturbing and real about the artist's suffering.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of the hunger artist and his suffering
- comment on the methods the writer uses to suggest the artist's genuine suffering
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
The town museum is assembling a summer guide and has asked for brief creative writing from local students.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Describe a quiet corner of an art gallery from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about a moment that changes how someone looks at the world.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]