To Anybody Who Has Read Kafka

This forum is for discussion about authors. You can discuss specific authors, types of authors, groups of authors, or any other topics related to authors.

Related Special Forums: Author Articles | Author Interviews

If you are an author or writer looking to discuss writing and author-related issues, please use our writing forums instead.
User avatar
David Bowman
Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Apr 2015, 14:12
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... Ulysses</a>
Currently Reading: Echo
Bookshelf Size: 27
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-david-bowman.html
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
fav_author_id: 2516

To Anybody Who Has Read Kafka

Post by David Bowman »

I've begun reading Franz Kafka's oeuvre (I've always been interested in his stories) and I've finished reading
two short stories, Descriptions of a Struggle and Wedding Preparations in the Country, and am wondering that,
to anybody who has read Kafka, what makes him so brilliant to you? What can you say about the criticism of the miseries his work contains?
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
debbiebee
Posts: 295
Joined: 23 Jan 2015, 07:44
Favorite Book: The Secret History
Bookshelf Size: 4

Post by debbiebee »

I know it's a cliche, but the phrase gruesome fascination springs to mind. My favourites? Not original, but of course, Metamorphosis, which, incidentally, in the original German is called 'Die Verwandlung' which means 'The Transformation' - rather different nuance! - and 'In the Penal Settlement'. I have to admit I have my struggles with 'The Trial', though I know it's a masterpiece. Bit of gratuitous info, the street where he was born in Prague had a name meaning 'Abattoir Road'!!
It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
Henry David Thoreau
User avatar
crenner07
Posts: 6
Joined: 19 May 2015, 14:01
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-crenner07.html

Post by crenner07 »

I have only read Metamorphosis. I was torn between the technical brilliance of his descriptions and giggling the entire time because I keep hearing "Help me...help me" in my head from the movie The Fly. I decided after I was done with the story that while it was amazing I did not feel the need to read any more by him.
User avatar
David Bowman
Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Apr 2015, 14:12
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... Ulysses</a>
Currently Reading: Echo
Bookshelf Size: 27
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-david-bowman.html
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by David Bowman »

crenner07 wrote:I have only read Metamorphosis. I was torn between the technical brilliance of his descriptions and giggling the entire time because I keep hearing "Help me...help me" in my head from the movie The Fly. I decided after I was done with the story that while it was amazing I did not feel the need to read any more by him.
Ah, it seems to me that Kafka isn't for everyone, and as of now I have read most of his longer stories (will have to get into his shorter, more parable-like stories next!) to decide that he is very probing and, like what debbiebee has said, the fascination of his style, gruesome details and plot, and fragments are hard for me to forget. Maybe it's because of his lack of mass appeal that not many seem to talk about him as opposed to more famous writers of the 20th century.

Some of my favorite longer stories (I enjoy them all so far, but if I had to choose) from him might be "In the Penal Colony," "The Metamorphosis," "Investigations of a Dog," and "A Hunger Artist."
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
User avatar
dreamcatcherie
Posts: 7
Joined: 30 May 2015, 16:31
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dreamcatcherie.html

Post by dreamcatcherie »

Well I have yet to read a Kafka book, but I did recently read Kafka on the Shore this year. It is on my favorite books list. I know some of the things Kafka likes to write in his books are things that mimic other things and machinery things. He was a very interesting man. The symbols that he had in some of his novels gave great significance in the novel and plot of the story for Kafka on the Shore.
Wreade1872
Posts: 98
Joined: 11 Apr 2011, 12:46
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Wreade1872 »

I've only read the Castle, its a pretty good book and does an amazing job of changing how you view characters and situations. Your constantly reassessing people's motivations and seeing things from different perspectives. I can't really describe it very well but i highly recommend it.
User avatar
David Bowman
Posts: 46
Joined: 23 Apr 2015, 14:12
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... Ulysses</a>
Currently Reading: Echo
Bookshelf Size: 27
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-david-bowman.html
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
fav_author_id: 2516

Post by David Bowman »

I have yet to read Kafka's unfinished works, but I'm also interested in reading Kafka on the Shore as well as Murakami's other books. It seems rather interesting to have the main character name himself after Franz Kafka although he has no name to begin with . . .
Latest Review: "Earth Angel" by Alex Apostol
User avatar
Max Tyrone
Posts: 75
Joined: 11 May 2015, 18:16
Favorite Author: William Faulkner
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... =2696">One Hundred Years of Solitude</a>
Currently Reading: Pastoralia
Bookshelf Size: 193
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-max-tyrone.html
Latest Review: "Design Of Life" by Martyn Anthony Rich
fav_author_id: 8089

Post by Max Tyrone »

I've read The Metamorphosis and loved it. I attribute much of my adoration for it toward the time I read it: high school transitioning to college. It felt very relevant. I can't say that his influence was lost among all the 20th century authors; I believe he influenced Albert Camus (of who I get less of a response than Kafka from anyone I ask), a fellow absurdist. If you think about it, a lot of the Nobel Prize laureates from the 20th century are somewhat forgotten outside their respective country. I believe Kafka, posthumously, fought his way through the names to still remain pertinent in this century.

I'm trying to read The Trial, but I'm finding it hard to go through.
"No battle is ever won ... victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools."
- William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
Latest Review: "Design Of Life" by Martyn Anthony Rich
User avatar
impalaibex
Posts: 9
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 03:14
Currently Reading: smile thief
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-impalaibex.html

Post by impalaibex »

Why is Kafka KAFKA, you say? His own name means "the butcher" in Bohemian (from the Kafka Project Online). His writing was, perhaps, a super fusion of generas ranging from Gothic horror, political criticism of pre-1984 Orwell Prague (The Castle), to groundbreaking sci-fi with experimental surrealism (Metamorphosis) He was like Karl Jung; ahead of his time; both could see the down fall of Europe.
Kafka just exposed how we butchered humanity. The first European World War trenches were dug to be filled with millions dead.
User avatar
victoria48
Posts: 94
Joined: 01 Apr 2016, 01:17
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by victoria48 »

debbiebee wrote:I know it's a cliche, but the phrase gruesome fascination springs to mind. My favourites? Not original, but of course, Metamorphosis, which, incidentally, in the original German is called 'Die Verwandlung' which means 'The Transformation' - rather different nuance! - and 'In the Penal Settlement'. I have to admit I have my struggles with 'The Trial', though I know it's a masterpiece. Bit of gratuitous info, the street where he was born in Prague had a name meaning 'Abattoir Road'!!

'Gruesome fascination' so perfectly said.

I find his work,one better that the other.his short stories are my favorite.
She made broken look beautiful
and strong look invincible.
She walked with the Universe
on her shoulders and made it
look like a pair of wings.
Ariana Dancu
User avatar
DATo
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 5770
Joined: 31 Dec 2011, 07:54
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by DATo »

Reading Kafka is a lot like eating oysters. One must acclimate to the taste to keep from throwing up.
“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”
― Steven Wright
User avatar
Nichol
Posts: 28
Joined: 15 Jun 2016, 05:43
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Nichol »

I have read a few of his pieces, even visited his house in Prague. His story is a very sad one
User avatar
zoekrast
Posts: 6
Joined: 13 Jun 2016, 08:15
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by zoekrast »

Firstly I hated him (I mean, nothing personal) but after few years i started to enjoy reading him
User avatar
SunVixen
Posts: 752
Joined: 23 Jan 2019, 05:44
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 110
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sunvixen.html
Latest Review: Tau Ceti: A Ship from Earth by George T. Hahn

Post by SunVixen »

David Bowman wrote: 12 May 2015, 11:20 I've begun reading Franz Kafka's oeuvre (I've always been interested in his stories) and I've finished reading
two short stories, Descriptions of a Struggle and Wedding Preparations in the Country, and am wondering that,
to anybody who has read Kafka, what makes him so brilliant to you? What can you say about the criticism of the miseries his work contains?
I read his book about a man who suddenly turned into a giant spider. It was a really creepy and sad story. His parents were afraid of him. His own sister threw an apple at him, this apple stuck in his spiderman's back and it hurt him.

I was in Prague and saw Kafka’s house too. Kafka’s own life was not very fun either. :cry:
User avatar
LinaMueller
Posts: 1117
Joined: 09 Jun 2019, 13:22
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 261
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-linamueller.html
Latest Review: The Wingless Fairy by Kye Strothers

Post by LinaMueller »

Kafka is overrated. Seriously how can anybody compare Franz Kafka to a brilliant writer like Arthur Miller? Surprisingly enough, Franz Kafka is considered the best jewish writer of all time.
Heart! We will forget him!
You an I, tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.

When you have done, pray tell me
That I my thoughts may dim;
Haste! lest while you're lagging.
I may remember him!

Emily Dickinson
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss Authors”