Franz Kafka's Obsession With Death
Franz Kafka's Obsession With Death
Kafka was a man consumed by death, consumed by the fact that he might eventually die. One man who was greatly affected by his father's negligence of him, and a social deviance about him which held him back from interaction. Such a man was so afraid about what society thought of his writing, that he never widely published his works, and even asked a friend to burn all manuscripts. Not only was Kafka Jewish, he resented this fact. Once Kafka even stated that "Sometimes I'd like to stuff all Jews (myself included) into a drawer of a laundry basket-then open it to see if they've suffocated." As anyone can see, Kafka was enormously enticed by death, and the fact that he greatly disliked his own cultural status, and even his family. Through most of his works he greatly illustrated his infatuation with death. In the Metamorphosis he showed how a man could die emotionally. In a Hunger Artist he shows how a man can just not have a reason to live and disguise it through starvation. Finally in the Penal Colony he shows how death can be such a masterpiece and how a man can be driven crazy by the fact that he cant prevent death that he actually draws himself to suicide. Even though, this man was one accompanied by great wisdom, which was shown in the writing of Metamorphosis
Distant from the poor, meager and mostly un-vivacious reality of life and it's hardships stands one man, Gregor, a provider of financial resources for his family. Such a young man is making his way in society and the world in general. Through Gregor's successes, and his almost workaholic attitude, he has suffered into prospering. Prosperity is an awkward word, for it is one which not only describes a persons wealth, though also his downfalls. The great undoing of prosperity shows itself in Gregor, as he becomes a monster.
Gregor is seen as the epitome of sociable, a "traveling salesman". However, Gregor is one who is "meeting new people all the time, but never forming any lasting friendships that mellow into anything intimate"(118). Through being a traveling salesman, Gregor must be friendly, though his forward happiness seems only a ploy to keep up his gut wrenching work. Gregor's is only...