As an artist or viewer of art, do you think that society analyzes art to death?

Question

I'm reading Kafka's The Metamorphosis in a Lit class. Everyone's trying to analyze it. In our book, the story of The Metamorphosis is only about 50 pages, while the critical essays about it are nearly 200 pages. I wonder if maybe Kafka just wanted to write a story about a guy that turns into a giant bug. I like thinking of the deeper meaning and the metaphors and all that jazz... but are we ruining it by trying to figure out what it means? Martha Graham says that if she could tell you want her dances meant, what would the point be of dancing it?

All artists have a message, but sometimes they just want to make things. When making dances, people always ask me what my movement means and what it symbolizes. I start out with an idea, and made movement that fits that and feels right. Then, when I am finished, I step back and looked at what it evloved into.

Just looking for some dialog about this, and as an artist, do you start a work knowing exactly what you want to communicate?

Answer 1

Later you may read his other work, The Castle.
Read more about Semantics and Pragmatics theories as they relate to works of art.
Basically, there is no fixed meaning Kafka hid somewhere in that text for you to excavate. The meaning depends on your own reading and interpretation, a conversation between the reader and the writer using the scribbles of the text. That is why the actual text consists of fewer pages compared to volumes of analytical texts about it. There are as meanings of metamorphosis as there are readers. Start from this idea and plunge headlong into Reader-Response and Deconstruction theories. Get Roland Barthes, the author is dead kind of stuff.


good luck with Kafka

Answer 2

kafka does have deeper meanings but i see no reason to explain every jot and tittle and examine each word for some hidden meaning. we do overanalyze literature.

dance is one of the arts that let's you revel in movement as a dancer and a viewer. no hidden meanings, music is another.
plenty of artist start with a feeling and follow their nose, while other need a tight script--both ways are valid. i write poetry, and i compose spontaneously. if someone told me to write about a specific subject, i would have a hard time and a bad poem. sometimes i play guitar, noodling, and come up with some good music. apollonian i am not.
btw i am trying to start a new movement here--to stop using uppercase letters at the start of a sentence. why use them if we have end stops?

Answer 3

Artists have different intentions, just like they have different personalities. Some artists love to talk about their work and tell everyone what the meaning of the art is. Some artists feel that each viewer will take away from it their own interpretation. Finally, there are artists who create deeply personal works and have no intention of explaining it to anyone and don't care if anyone "understands" it or not.

Answer 4

If we were to put as much effort into appreciating art or anything in life for
that matter we'd spend less time as workers and more time as artist not
to mention becoming better human
beings because of it . . .

Answer 5

thats an interesting story.
i think i understand your question.
what shes trying to say basicly is she will not tell you the meanings behind it but wants you to find them yourself.
it wouldnt be as interesting someone told you everything rather than to figuring it out on your own.

Answer 6

Order for Deceased
by Hafiz Ismail



The Shar'ee method of Dafn (burial)

After the Janazah Salah has been performed the deceased should be buried as soon as possible. The Janazah should be carried and placed at the Qiblah side of the grave. The head of the deceased should be on the RIGHT side of the grave if one faces the Qiblah. It is desirable that MAHRAMS or close relatives (of a deceased female) should enter the grave to lower the body into it. The HUSBAND of the deceased female should not enter the grave to bury his WIFE. It is NOT MASNOON (Sunnat) that there be an ODD number. All those who enter the grave should face the Qiblah.

It is MUSTAHAB to hold a sheet over the grave while lowering and burying a deceased female. If there is fear of her Kafn opening then it is WAJIB (compulsory) to do so.

When you lower the deceased into the grave, hold the head side and the feet side, and support the back of the deceased so that the deceased does not bend in the middle. Pass the deceased to the people in the grave so that they can lower the body to the floor of the grave. First the feet side should be laid on the ground and then the rest of the body. When lowering the deceased into the grave the following Du’aa should be recited:

Bismillaahi wa ‘alaa millat rasoolillah
Trans: In the name of Allah and on the creed, religion and faith of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

After the deceased has been laid in the grave it is Masnoon to turn it onto it's RIGHT side to face the Qiblah, put some earth below the left side of the deceased body. The strips of cloth tied at the head side, chest and feet side should now be untied. The recess should be covered with unbaked bricks, bamboo or timber.

How the Kabr (grave) should be covered and shaped:

It is MUSTAHAB to begin closing the recess or trench from the LEG side for MEN and from the HEAD side for WOMEN. All the remaining little openings should be closed with mud or grass. The use of any FABRIC or BLANKETS is unnecessary and wasteful. All those present should participate to fill the KABR with at least THREE handful's of soil. When throwing the FIRST handful in the KABR recite:
minhaa khalaqnaahum
Trans : From the (earth) did We create you.

During the SECOND handful:

Wa minhaa nu’eedukum
Trans: and into it shall We return you.

And the time of the THIRD handful:

Wa minhaa nukhrijukum taaratan ukhraa
Trans: and from it shall We bring you out once again.


It is MAKROOH to add more soil to the KABR than that which was dug out from it.

The shape of the KABR when filled should be like the HUMP of a CAMEL. The height should be approximately one and a half fist high so that it is lowering from the sides and leave it a little high from the middle like the hump of a camel. All types of buildings and enclosures on and around the Kabr are NOT permissible. Buildings on Kabrs have been emphatically denounced in the Hadith of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

It is MUSTAHAB to sprinkle water on the Kabr from the head to feet side thrice after the Kabr has been filled and shaped.

To recite the Quraan and make Dua for the deceased at his Kabr side, after the Kabr has been filled and shaped is also MUSTAHABB.

It has been related by Hazrat UTHMAN (R.A.) that after Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam buried the dead, he paused and said; "Beseech forgiveness from Allah for your brother and make Du’aa for his steadfastness because he is going to be questioned now by the MUNKAR and NAKEER."

After the burial the first Ruku of "Suratul Bakarah", (Alif Laam Meem Zaalikal Kitaab to Humul Muflihoon), Should be recited at the head side of the Kabr, and the last Ruku of "Suratul Bakarah", (Aamannar Rasoolu, till the end of the Surah, Fansurna alal qaumil kaafireen), should be recited at the leg side of the Kabr.
Surah, (Fansurna alai qaumil kaafireen), should be recited at the leg side of the Kabr.

Guidance:

It is not permissible to leave Qur’aan Sharif, Ahadnama (book of Oath), Ganjul Arsh or any other Dua because it contains the names of ALLAH SUBHANA WATALLAH and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam and owing to the dirt of the deceased's body there will be disrespect. (Shami 847/1)

A woman's corpse should be taken into the grave by her MAHRAM, i.e. grandfather, father, father's milk-partner, brother, paternal uncle, son, nephew, real maternal uncle, etc. If no such person is available then either any relative or any pious (religious) person may lower her into the grave.

Women must be lowered into the grave under cover. Note: Some persons try to peep into the grave although there is a cover over it, this MUST NOT HAPPEN as it is not permissible to look at a NON-MAHRAM after death as it is when they are alive!

It is Mustahab to sprinkle water over the Kabr once it has been filled with earth. The Kabr of our beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam’s son Hazrat Ibrahim was watered, by our beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam. (Mishkat).

5. It is Mustahab to plant a green branch of a tree on the Kabr. (Shami 846/1).

If one wants to convey the reward of one's recital of Quraan Sharif, charity, Nafil Salah (Non Obligatory) fasts and good deeds, etc., then one should convey it to the virtuous soul of our beloved Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam, one's relatives, and all the Muslim men and women. All of them will receive the same reward without any deduction; the one who has carried this out will also receive the same reward without any loss. It is also valid to convey the reward to the living persons and not the dead. (Shami 845 part 1).

After finishing the burial process of the deceased, it is Mustahab to stay there for a short while and recite a little bit of Quraan Sharif, DUROOD Sharif and present it to the deceased and make Dua for it's forgiveness.

It has been narrated by Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umar (R.A.) that our beloved Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has said, "that if anyone dies amongst you then do not keep it, send it towards the Kabr, and after burying it, stand before its head side and recite the first Ruku of "Suratul Bakarah", i.e. from Alif Laam Meem Zaalikal Kitaab to Humul Muflihoon; and recite by it's feet side the last Ruku of "Suratul Bakarah", i.e. from Aamanar rasoolu till the end of the Surah, Fansuma alal qumil kaafireen. (Miskat).
Note: Every brother must invocate (make Dua), with the authentic Du’aas of Hadith Sharif after burial in order to try to convey the maximum benefit to the deceased. Supplicate for the pardon of the deceased and go home and talk about patience to the deceased relatives and explain the rewards of patience to them and do not let anything happen against the SHARI'AT. "O ALLAH TALLAH bestow thy favours upon all of us to act upon thy orders and commandments according to the ways of our beloved Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Amin."