Essay on Franz Kafkas Use of Humor - 1619 Words

Franz Kafkas Use of Humor Franz Kafka, born on July 3, 1883 in Bohemia, in the city of Prague, has been recognized as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. His works have been called cloudy, mysterious, inexplicable (Oates ix). Most people hear the term Kafkan or Kafkaesque and think of dark, fantastic tales with almost no basis in our known reality. But what of Kafkas sense of humor? I personally laughed out loud several times while reading Kafkas Amerika. Were these snippets of humor part of Kafkas plan or mere accidents? According to Roy Pascal, author of Kafkas Narrators: A Study of His Stories and Sketches, There is a good deal of humour in these early stories, as in the novels and later stories, but†¦show more content†¦Georgs father goes on to kick and yell at Georg extensively. Through this entire barrage and beating from his father the only thought that pops into Georgs head is he has pockets even in his shirt (Kafka 86) referring to his fathers nightshirt. This left turn from the heat of the moment is quirky enough to give the reader pause and wonder what is going on. Such was Kafkas intent. Another good example is in the novel Amerika. Here, protagonist Karl Rossman comes to at 3:00 am after a serious fight with two men, Robinson and Delamarche, whom he met shortly after his arrival to the United States from Germany. He wanders out onto the balcony of the apartment he is trapped in and makes the acquaintance of a student studying on the balcony next door. Karl discovers the student works at Montlys department store all day and then studies and goes to school all night. When asked when he sleeps Karl hears, Oh sleep! said the student. Ill get some sleep when Im finished with my studies. I keep myself going on black coffee. A fine thing black coffee. I dont like black coffee, said Karl. I dont either, said the student laughing. But what could I do without it? If it werent for black coffee Montly wouldnt keep me for a minute. I simply dont know how I would get on in the shop if I didnt have a big bottle like this under the counter, for Ive never dared to risk stopping the coffee-drinking... (Kafka 267). WhyShow MoreRelatedEssay on Franz Kafkas The Trial1514 Words   |  7 PagesFranz Kafka’s famously translated novel The Trial was thought by many to be strongly influenced by his strong background and affiliations with theater and literature. Within the novel, Kafka refers to various types of the art form including, physical art, performing arts and acting, and the art of how a person moves and/or interacts with others. Critics have argued that Kafka’s background was the influence to the novel, while others strongly disagree. 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