Franz Kafka

“Writing is a deeper sleep than death. Just as one wouldn’t pull a corpse from its grave, I can't be dragged from my desk at night.”

— Franz Kafka

Life & Background:

Born in Prague in 1883 to a German-speaking Jewish family, Kafka lived a life of conflict: with his domineering father, with his body (he suffered from poor health and later tuberculosis), and with modern bureaucracy. He worked in an insurance office while writing at night, never achieving major literary recognition in his lifetime. He even asked for his works to be destroyed upon his death—fortunately, his friend Max Brod disobeyed him.

Inspirations:

Kafka was influenced by existential philosophy, modernist alienation, and the tensions of Jewish identity in early 20th-century Europe. He read a lot of philosophy and literature, particularly Dostoevsky, Flaubert, and Kierkegaard.

Themes in His Work:

• Alienation and anxiety: Kafka’s characters often feel isolated and misunderstood, trapped in an incomprehensible world. They are typically powerless people trapped in absurd situations, creating a constant sense of existential anxiety.

• Bureaucracy and dehumanization: Kafka presents bureaucracy as an impersonal force that strips people of their identity and autonomy. His works highlight the irrationality and cruelty of institutions and how they undermine human dignity.

• Metamorphosis and identity loss: Kafka’s characters physically or mentally transform, representing the breakdown of personal identity under social, familial, or institutional pressure.

• Guilt and helplessness: His protagonists are often punished for unclear or unjust reasons, and they experience guilt that is often unearned. The worlds Kafka creates are ones where justice is arbitrary, and people are powerless to change their fate. This theme reinforces the helplessness and existential dread that defines much of Kafka’s fiction.

Notable Works:

• The Metamorphosis (1915)

• The Trial (1925)

• The Castle (1926)

• Letters to Felice