Franz Kafka His life His work His issues

Franz Kafka His life His work His “issues”

Early Life G Born July 3, 1883 G Born into a Jewish family in Prague

Early life G Named for Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary G Middle class family G Father had a dry goods store G Mother from wealthier family (family involved in merchant and brewing businesses)

Kafka’s parents

Family Life G Had 2 male siblings - both died around the age of 1 G Had 3 sisters G Children raised by governesses (common in middle and upper class families) G Family moved around based on financial situation

Franz as a child

Kafka with his sisters

Kafka’s personality G Quiet and withdrawn G Wrote plays for sisters to act out G Feared father G Stuttered only in his presence

Education G Attended German schools G Father felt he could “get ahead” G Studied chem for two weeks in college; switched to law G Met Max Brod in college G A writer; became good friends G 1906 - earned Doctorate in Law

Career G Worked as civil service lawyer G Investigated claims at Workers Accident Insurance Institute G Traveled to Paris, Italy, Switzerland with Brod G Became interested in Yiddish theatre G 1911 - father made him take over family asbestos factory G Long hours almost drove him to suicide

Interesting facts G Looked very young G At 28, some thought he was only 15 or 16 G Father thought he was strange/eccentric G Quiet G Vegetarian

Relationships G During college, had many one-night stands G Was both attracted to and repulsed by sex G Hated the idea of bodily functions G 1912 - met Felice Bauer - fell in love G Wrote letters to her for years G Proposed in same letter in which he explained why he’d be bad for her G Engaged twice

Franz and Felice

Relationships G The Women: Felice, Grete, Gerti, Milena, Dora G Never married G Lived at home with parents for most of his life

Writing G Insomniac - used nights to write fiction G Won writing prize in 1915 G Works published during his life: G 1912 G 1915 G 1916 G 1919 G 1920 - Meditation The Metamorphosis “The Judgment” “In the Penal Colony” “A Country Doctor”

Writing G Asked literary executor (friend Max Brod) to burn manuscripts of his novels G Brod refused G Published Posthumously: G Amerika G The Trial G The Castle (unfinished)

Writing G Believed a book should be “an axe to break up the frozen sea within us” G Used writing to survive despair from father, job G “By scribbling I run ahead of myself in order to catch myself up at the finishing post. I cannot run away from myself. ”

Writing G Greatest literary influence - Gustave Flaubert (Madame Bovary) G Some say magical realism in writing began with Kafka G The Metamorphosis influenced Gabriel Garcia Marquez G Modernism, Existentialism

The Metamorphosis G G Themes of alienation and punishment Characterized as fantasy and nightmare Inspired by his life? Protagonist G Gregor Samsa G Pronounced Zamza G Samsa translates to “I am alone. ”

The Metamorphosis G Cover illustration G Kafka did not want Gregor’s “transformed” state depicted on the cover G Why do you think Kafka felt this way? G Wrote to his publisher with other suggestions G Including doors, darkness, and light G Yay for symbolism!

Cover Illustrations G As you can see, many covers honor Kafka’s wishes; however, some more recent editions do not.

Later years & Death G Thought about going to war in WWI G 1917 - started coughing up blood diagnosed with tuberculosis G Died in 1924 - cause of death thought to be starvation - difficult for him to eat because of condition of throat

Family G Parents died in 1930 s G Buried in same plot as Franz G Sisters killed in the gas chambers in WWII

Czech hero G Statues, monuments, buildings, postage stamps