The Lame Shall Enter First Analysis

When comparing and contrasting “The Lame Shall Enter First” and “A Hunger Artist” several similarities, along with many differences, are found. In “The Lame Shall Enter First,” by Flannery O’Connor and “A Hunger Artist,” by Franz Kafka, the audience is lead to interpret the feeling of entrapment. Norton and the hunger artist encounter loneliness, neglect, and misunderstanding. Throughout the stories each character allows their emotions to leak and we begin to see the cause and effect of their trapped lifestyle. Entrapment intensifies when you are misunderstood, neglected, and lonely.
Misunderstanding causes conditions to worsen. Misunderstanding lead both Norton and the hunger artist to entrapment. The Hunger Artist has been misunderstood for
so long that he doesn’t know what it’s like to have people understand his means of fasting. Even at the peak of his popularity, no one seemed to really understand his art, but rather they were just watching him because he was the latest fad. For example, when the hunger artist answered why he was still fasting after forty days, the audience didn’t understand why he refused to eat. “Because I couldn’t find the food I liked. If I had found it, believe me, I should have made no fuss and stuffed myself like you or anyone else” (par. 9). The hunger artist has not found the ultimate food he is seeking—fulfillment. He is not literally talking about a type of food, but more so talking about fulfilling his passion. He is misunderstood by the audience, which sets up a perfect trap within his “fasting” world. Like the hunger artist, Norton also references food to refer to his fulfillment. Norton throws up his food after his dad nags him to be more charitable and selfless. “Everything came up, the cake, the peanut butter, the ketchup—a limp sweet batter. He hung over it gagging, more came, and he waited with his mouth open over the plate as if he expected his heart to come up next” (par. 43). When Norton gets sick, it really reveals how misunderstood the child is. O’Connor is using Norton’s puke as a symbol. Norton is not throwing up his food because he has the flu; Norton regurgitates his food because he is implying that he already has all of the “stuff” he needs. Norton’s father, Sheppard, does not understand that his boy is far from selfish. Altogether, both characters in each story feel misunderstood. Misunderstanding drove the Hunger Artist and Norton to a trapped lifestyle.
A trapped lifestyle rises to the surface as loneliness is felt.
Loneliness is present in both “A Hunger Artist” and “The Lame Shall Enter First.” While Norton feels lonely because of his home life, the hunger artist feels lonely because of his art—which eventually leads him to a lonely death. "A Hunger Artist" explores the loneliness that the main character encountered throughout the various stages of his exhibit. From the very beginning of his fasting, the hunger artist seemed lonely, yet he was surrounded by crowds. “... and then again withdrawing deep into himself, paying no attention to anyone or anything…” (par. 1). Despite the crowds, the Hunger Artist is still able to be completely absorbed with himself. Given that the hunger artist is clearly devoted to his art, the unusual art of starvation; this quote shows that the hunger artist has clearly been lonely in his journey for quite some time, even when his exhibit was popular. For the purpose of his art, loneliness seems to be the price he has to pay for his originality. In “The Lame Shall Enter First,” Norton’s loneliness stems from the isolation of his father, whereas the hunger artist is lonely because of his choice, his profession. Loneliness begins to reside in Norton the instant Sheppard begins talking about Rufus moving in. “It was dawning upon him that something of his was threatened” (par. 16). Norton is referring to his father. For fear that he would lose what was left of his father's attention, Norton didn’t like the thought of Rufus moving in. O’Connor utilizes several quotes that show Sheppard’s abandonment. “That afternoon Norton was alone in the house… (par. 72). “...he found Norton there alone” (par. 203). “He left Norton at home because he did not want his attention divided” (par. 270). Because of the isolation that 10-year-old Norton had to face, he began to get trapped into an isolated way of life, and eventually took his life. Similarly, because of the alienation that the hunger artist
experienced for his abnormal art, he also died entrapped within his loneliness.
Neglect is another path that leads to entrapment. 10-year-old Norton is neglected by his father. As Norton lays in bed and notices his father, he yearns for his affection. “Norton sat up and beckoned to him” (par. 267). “He saw the child but after an instant, he did not let his eyes focus directly on him. He could not go in and talk to Norton without breaking Johnson’s trust. He hesitated, but remained where he was for a moment as if he saw nothing (par. 268). “The child sat for some time looking at the spot where his father had stood. Finally his gaze became aimless and he lay back down” (par. 269). Norton feels deserted after his own father abandons the needs of his son to focus on pleasing Rufus Johnson. The impact of Sheppard’s neglect left Norton high and dry—he was neglected of love, compassion, and attention—it was the perfect avenue for trapped lifestyle. On the contrary, one way Franz Kafka demonstrates neglect in “A Hunger Artist” is directly before the main character dies. The overseer of the hunger artist barely notices that his exhibit is still open, even though his duty was to watch over the artist. The overseer neglected his responsibility. When the overseer poked and prodded at the straw, he noticed the hunger artist; however, shortly after this happened he passed away. Showing little compassion, they cleared out his cage. “Well, clear this out now!” said the overseer, and they buried the hunger artist, straw and all” (par. 10). The overseer, along with the audiences, neglected the reasoning behind his fasting and abandoned the hunger artist for the trendiest exhibits. Both Kafka and O’Connor reveal how neglect can lead to an entrapped lifestyle. Correspondingly, in the end, both the hunger artist and Norton die entrapped within their life on earth.
Entrapment reaches an all time high when loneliness, misunderstanding, and neglect pick at the mind. In “A Hunger Artist” and “The Lame Shall Enter First,” each character encounters different situations, yet the outcomes are quite similar. When contrasting a cheerful character in a book, to a character from “The Lame Shall Enter First” or “A Hunger Artist,” we see how entrapment can affect the way of life. Consider any character in a different book compared to Norton or the Hunger Artist; they will portray different emotions because of the way their lives have developed. Entrapment is a feeling that not even the strongest of people can avoid.