Books have always given you the ability to explore the psyche of characters in their stories; however, the ability to compare the psychoanalytical side of the characters and the authors is not always possible. In “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad and “Hunger Artist” by Franz Kafka, one can delve deep into the psyche of the characters as well as the authors who penned the stories. The psychological damage that each character goes through is more than just the plot and the setting of the stories; it also shows the extent authors’ pain and experiences in their lives.
Although the characters in the stories are different, they experience similar psychological damage. For example, the character, Marlow, in “Heart of Darkness” experiences many stressful situations in the Congo which cause psychological damage. In the “Hunger Artist,” the character experiences psychological damage caused by self-sacrificing fasting. Although the situations are totally different, both of the characters experience psychological damage.…show more content… In “Heart of Darkness”, the character experiences strife due to his adventures on the Congo River. Conversely, in “Hunger Artist”, the character lives in a cage during his fast to ensure that he does not sneak and eat something.
Each of the author’s experiences in real life contributed to the characters’ outlook on life. For example, Kafka suffered with laryngeal tuberculosis which made it almost impossible to eat. In fact, his cause of death was starvation due to his throat closing. Conversely, the “Heart of Darkness” author, Joseph Conrad, served as a captain on a Steamer for a Belgian trading company. During his appointment, Conrad traveled the Congo