Franz Kafka ( )

Czech Born Spoke and wrote primarily in German Raised in Prague, Czechoslovakia Difficult relationship with his father Very close to youngest sister, Ottla Insurance company - support his parents Little time to write

Continued... ●He hated the work, mostly because of the hours ●But, he showed up every day... ●He was drafted into the military in WWI in 1915 (The Metamorphosis pub. date) ●But, was discharged because of tuberculosis

Death ●He lived with family for his remaining years as his illness worsened and continued to write. ●Suffered from clinical depression, social anxiety ●He died in 1924 from starvation when TB worsened and could no longer swallow food.

Alienation ● Jew in Catholic Prague ● Meaningless job ● Humans – trapped by authority in a hopeless world (Post WWI)

Existentialist (Soren Kierkegaard) ●He believed, like other thinkers and artists at the time, that we live in a largely empty and indifferent universe. ●Nothing really matters  . ●But, he also grew up in a Jewish family and he struggled with the two belief systems.

Existence precedes Essence ● Most important consideration: s/he is an individual (an independently acting being = “existence”) rather than what labels, definitions or preconceived notions the individual fits (“essence”) ● Humans, through their own experiences and consciousness, create their own values and determine meaning in their lives – their “true essence”. We make the choice to be “good” or “bad”

Unfairness of the World ● No meaning to be found in the world beyond what we give to it. ● Contrast with Karma – since no one is inherently good or bad, can’t say bad doesn’t happen to good people

Authenticity ● Find oneself and live in accordance with this self. ● Act as oneself – let one’s values (obtained from experience) come into play when making a choice, not how one should act. How we “should” act is often a result of the image one has, not their true essence

Angst ● Anxiety, inner dread, turmoil ● a profound and deep seated spiritual condition of insecurity and fear in the free human being, where the animal is a slave to its instincts but always conscious in its own actions. The freedom given to people leaves the human in a constant fear of failing his/her responsibilities to God

Meaning of The Metamorphosis

Protagonist ● This is a novel about Gregor Samsa who learns who he really is through an overwhelming psychological experience that turns him inward. ● His first step in this journey is disobedience: ● Refuses to go to work ● Refuses to follow the rules of etiquette ● In his new condition, Gregor begins his soul searching: ● Accepts that he has conformed to his family’s and employer’s demands ● Realizes the inauthenticity and meaninglessness of his life

● Once he sheds his previous self, Gregor begins to delve into his own unconscious and confront the truth of his life. ● Gregor evolves from psychological immaturity to the courage of self responsibility. ● For the very first time in his life, Gregor becomes blissful and becomes a mature person. ● At the end, Gregor comes to this realization, a transformed human being

Form - Parable ● Uses this literary form as a neutral, detached point of view from which to examine human behavior ● Conveys truth in a less offensive, more engaging form than a direct assertion ● Appeals to the understanding, the emotions, and the imagination—to the whole person

Parable: The Complexity of Life ● The meaning of most parables is not so obvious, or at least it shouldn't be. ● Most parables contain some element that is strange or unusual. ● Parables do not define things precisely but, rather, use comparisons. ● Takes the familiar and applies it to the unfamiliar ● Makes the unfamiliar more comprehensible