Franz Kafka (1883–1924) remains one of the most influential and enigmatic writers of the 20th century. Born in Prague to a middle-class Jewish family, Kafka lived most of his life in a world shaped by bureaucracy, cultural tension, and a deep sense of personal alienation. These themes later became the core of his writing, making the word “Kafkaesque” a permanent part of world literature—describing situations that feel absurd, oppressive, and trapped within incomprehensible systems.
Kafka worked as an insurance clerk, a job he disliked but which gave him firsthand experience with the cold structures of authority and paperwork. This environment strongly influenced his fiction. Despite his modest career and fragile health, he wrote some of the most important works of modern literature, including The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle.
In The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa’s sudden transformation into an insect symbolizes the dehumanizing effects of modern life. In The Trial, Josef K. struggles against an invisible and endless legal system that accuses him of a crime he can’t understand. And The Castle portrays a man’s impossible attempt to gain access to an unreachable authority. Through these narratives, Kafka explores themes of guilt, fear, identity, and the loneliness of the individual in a world that often feels hostile and absurd.
Kafka’s style is unique: precise, calm, almost clinical—even when describing surreal or nightmarish events. This contrast between simplicity and nightmare creates a powerful emotional impact. He never intended most of his works to be published, and before his death, he asked his friend Max Brod to burn all his writings. Luckily, Brod ignored his request, allowing Kafka’s genius to reach the world.
Today, Kafka is celebrated as a prophet of the modern age. His works speak to universal anxieties—feeling lost in society, struggling for meaning, and confronting systems bigger than ourselves. More than a century later, Kafka continues to inspire writers, philosophers, and anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by the complexity of life.
