FRANZ KAFKA ( )

Becomes the poster child for Modernist alienation and disoriented anxiety. Becomes the poster child for Modernist alienation and disoriented anxiety.

Kafka’s alienation: Czech in the Austro-Hungarian Empire Czech in the Austro-Hungarian Empire A Jew among German speakers A Jew among German speakers A non-believer among Jews A non-believer among Jews Father is over bearing and hates him Father is over bearing and hates him Insurance worker  Bureaucratic/meaningless job Insurance worker  Bureaucratic/meaningless job Disconnected with opposite sex  great fear of marriage and intimacy Disconnected with opposite sex  great fear of marriage and intimacy Engaged many times but broke all of them off before the wedding Engaged many times but broke all of them off before the wedding

Kafka’s Sad Little Life Journal entry: Journal entry: “I have always looked upon my parents as persecutors; until about a year ago I was indifferent to them and perhaps to the world at large as some kind of useless thing, but I see it now was only suppressed fear, worry, and unhappiness…

“…all parents want is to drag one down to them, back to the days from which one longs to free oneself and escape, they do it out of love, of course, and that’s what makes it so horrible.”

Kafka’s Sad Little Life Born in Prague to middle-class parents Born in Prague to middle-class parents Entered law school and received his Ph.D of Law in Entered law school and received his Ph.D of Law in Knew writing was his calling but did not feel he was good enough Knew writing was his calling but did not feel he was good enough Did not feel he could make a living with writing—nor did he try. Did not feel he could make a living with writing—nor did he try.

Kafka’s Sad Little Life Writing was a form of prayer—”a temporary respite from my demons.” Writing was a form of prayer—”a temporary respite from my demons.” Attempts suicide in 1917 after losing his job. Attempts suicide in 1917 after losing his job. Dies at the age of 41 in June of 1924 (TB) Dies at the age of 41 in June of 1924 (TB)

Max Brod One of Kafka’s only friends. One of Kafka’s only friends. Charged to burn all of Kafka’s unpublished stories and novels. Charged to burn all of Kafka’s unpublished stories and novels. Brod does not and publishes everything Brod does not and publishes everything

Kafkaesque The term, which is quite fluid in definition, has also been described as "marked by a senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity: “Kafkaesque bureaucracies” and "marked by surreal distortion and often a sense of impending danger: Kafkaesque fantasies of the impassive interrogation, the false trial, the confiscated passport... haunt his innocence" — The New Yorker The term, which is quite fluid in definition, has also been described as "marked by a senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity: “Kafkaesque bureaucracies” and "marked by surreal distortion and often a sense of impending danger: Kafkaesque fantasies of the impassive interrogation, the false trial, the confiscated passport... haunt his innocence" — The New Yorker

Kafkaesque Fulfilling Kafka’s pessimism…… Fulfilling Kafka’s pessimism…… Kafka’s three sisters and the woman he loved died in Nazi Death camps. Kafka may have seen this as poetic justice.

Kafka is an Absurdist … …his novels are about characters who struggle to find meaning in a cosmos Kafka knew to be meaningless. …his novels are about characters who struggle to find meaning in a cosmos Kafka knew to be meaningless. Takes a joy in torturing his characters (?) Takes a joy in torturing his characters (?)