Saturday, October 12, 2019
Hunger Exam :: essays research papers
The Disturbing Elements of Knut Hamsen’s Hunger      â€Å"One of the most disturbing novels in existence†writes Time Out magazine on the 1890 novel Hunger. This criticism seems extreme considering the nature of more modern texts; people now consume books full of gore and lewd sex. Despite this recent trend in fiction, Knut Hamsen’s Hunger continues to strike a cord with its readers. As Time Out’s quote suggests, this continuity is due to the book’s disturbing theme. Hunger disturbs the way people often assume a man would behave while in the depths of poverty’s grasp. The text disturbs the common concept that, if a man is desperate he will ignore his pride and decency for the opportunity to escape his situation.      The protagonist is himself achingly hungry when a man begs him to spare a bit of money to buy a meal. One would likely presume that the famished protagonist would consider his own breakfast before another’s. This however, is not the case. â€Å"‘I haven’t eaten a thing since yesterday in Drammen, â€Å" the man said. â€Å"‘ I don’t have an ore and I still can’t find work.’†(8). After a bit of trivial dialogue, the protagonist responds to the beggar’s statement, â€Å"‘Wait here a few minuets, and I’ll see if I can’t find something for you, a little something at least.’†He says. (9). The protagonist goes on to pawn his own waistcoat in order to appease his comrade’s hunger. While it is true that a portion of the money brought in by the waistcoat the protagonist used to purchase his own meager food, the fact remains that the majority of the coins were given away. If taken at face value, the exchange was a simple gesture of kindness but, if one were to dig deeper the contribution if found to have been made out of pride. The protagonist was proud that a man had perceived him as a person who had the means to donate a meal. F or the character to have admitted that he was just hungry himself would have effectively dashed the pride that he so savored. Pride that to the protagonist was worth the value of a hungry man’s meal.      The narrator’s stubborn pride is highlighted shortly after the previous passage. As he wanders about the early morning streets his shabby blanket in tow, the man’s mind wanders. â€Å"What would people think of me? So I walked along trying to think of someplace where it would be safe until later. Hunger Exam :: essays research papers The Disturbing Elements of Knut Hamsen’s Hunger      â€Å"One of the most disturbing novels in existence†writes Time Out magazine on the 1890 novel Hunger. This criticism seems extreme considering the nature of more modern texts; people now consume books full of gore and lewd sex. Despite this recent trend in fiction, Knut Hamsen’s Hunger continues to strike a cord with its readers. As Time Out’s quote suggests, this continuity is due to the book’s disturbing theme. Hunger disturbs the way people often assume a man would behave while in the depths of poverty’s grasp. The text disturbs the common concept that, if a man is desperate he will ignore his pride and decency for the opportunity to escape his situation.      The protagonist is himself achingly hungry when a man begs him to spare a bit of money to buy a meal. One would likely presume that the famished protagonist would consider his own breakfast before another’s. This however, is not the case. â€Å"‘I haven’t eaten a thing since yesterday in Drammen, â€Å" the man said. â€Å"‘ I don’t have an ore and I still can’t find work.’†(8). After a bit of trivial dialogue, the protagonist responds to the beggar’s statement, â€Å"‘Wait here a few minuets, and I’ll see if I can’t find something for you, a little something at least.’†He says. (9). The protagonist goes on to pawn his own waistcoat in order to appease his comrade’s hunger. While it is true that a portion of the money brought in by the waistcoat the protagonist used to purchase his own meager food, the fact remains that the majority of the coins were given away. If taken at face value, the exchange was a simple gesture of kindness but, if one were to dig deeper the contribution if found to have been made out of pride. The protagonist was proud that a man had perceived him as a person who had the means to donate a meal. F or the character to have admitted that he was just hungry himself would have effectively dashed the pride that he so savored. Pride that to the protagonist was worth the value of a hungry man’s meal.      The narrator’s stubborn pride is highlighted shortly after the previous passage. As he wanders about the early morning streets his shabby blanket in tow, the man’s mind wanders. â€Å"What would people think of me? So I walked along trying to think of someplace where it would be safe until later.
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