How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph) We used Stanley Corngold's translation.
Quote #7
[…] the prospect of those visiting hours, for which the starvation artist naturally yearned, since they were the meaning of his life, also made him shudder. (7)
Despite his feelings of alienation, the artist still aches for an audience. The very strong formulation – "they were the meaning of his life" – suggests that an artist without an audience is nothing at all. Why, then, does he "shudder"?
Quote #8
[…] who knew where they would tuck him away if he tried to make them aware of his existence, and therefore also of the fact that, strictly speaking, he has nothing more than an obstacle on the way to the animal sheds. (7)
After his popularity declines, the artist is no longer celebrated for his idiosyncratic lifestyle. He's now reduced to an "obstacle," something that gets in the way of the real show, an animal menagerie. Ouch.
Quote #9
Try to explain the art of starving to someone! Those who have no feel for it can never be made to understand. (8)
The only people who can appreciate the art of starving are… the ones who already appreciate starving. That makes our artist a very lonely man since he seems to be the only one left who can appreciate his own art.