Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Franz Kafka

Birth/Youth


Kafka was born into a middle class, Jewish family. He was born July 3, 1883 in Prague.  He had five siblings, three younger sisters and his two younger brothers that died before reaching age 2. His dad was a successful shopkeeper and Kafka grew up in his shadow. He did very well in school and when on the Charles University of Prague.


Prague

Adult Life


After receiving a law degree from Charles University Kafka when on to be hired by Italian insurance company. Kafka didn't like work for the Italian insurance company because they forced him to work long hours which left no time for his writing. Therefore after a year he resigned from the insurance company and found work at the Worker's Accident Insurance Institute where he worked until his retirement due to tuberculosis in 1922. He had many relationships and was engaged to be married many times but he never married. 


Influence 

Kafka greatly influenced the writing sphere with his works about the human condition. His short story, Metamorphosis, which is about a human turning into an insect inspired many science fiction authors. Constantly seeking his father's approval and his host of mental disorders inspired Kafka to write the beautifully, twisted stories that he did.




Death

Kafka died of tuberculosis on June 3, 1924 in a sanatorium near Vienna. Before his death he asked his best friend, Max Brod, to destroy all of his unpublished works but Max instead published Kafka's works after he had died. After his death, Kafka was buried next to his mother and father in Prague which is ironic because Kafka's moral body must spend an eternity with the one person he despise the most.  

 Kafka's Father

Kafka's Mother