The Trial by Franz Kafka - Better to be in chains.
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The Trial by Franz Kafka - Better to be in chains.
In the movie Orson Welles plays the lawyer who says the line to K, who is played by Anthony Perkins. That line was one of the reasons why I read the book.
My wife and I were talking about this the other day. I had always taken it to mean something along the lines of, be careful what you wish for; too much freedom, or excess, can be trouble.
For example we want to be able to be "free" and eat as much as we want. Sometimes it's better to be in chains, or have discipline, than to live how we want.
My wife related it to money, and how people think that being free means having a lot of money and doing what you want with it. It's better to be in chains, and have some restraint rather than truly spending the money how we want.
We both thought it was interesting and could have multiple meanings. I was wondering what other people think? Have you ever heard that quote before? If so, what do you think it means?
Thanks,
-Mark
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Once, in a chatroom, a young person asked for a clear definition of the term existentialism. I replied by saying, "You have been warned by your parents not to break curfew. You ignore them and come home at 1 AM in the morning only to find that all your possessions are on the curb in front of the house and the locks of the house have been changed. That sinking feeling you have when it suddenly dawns upon you that you are now entirely responsible for everything in your life beginning at that moment is what is called existentialism."
I was suggesting that at that time the curfew breaker would prefer the chains of parental tyranny to the freedom of personal responsibility.
― Steven Wright
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In the end there is no solution to the story because that's Kafka specific trait: there is no answer, you, reader are the one who can speculate, try and understand the meaning behind K's tragic life.