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A review by sidharthvardhan
The Great Wall of China and other Stories by Franz Kafka
4.0
Most of these were published posthumously. A lot many are incomplete.
A few of my favorites:
The Truth about Sancho Panza
The brain(Sancho Panza) knows that the heart (Quixote) is full of desires that will be destructive to the whole person and so it calms the heart down by feeding it on dreams and fantasies of adventures during evenings and nights.
The Hunter Gracchus
This one begins in a very realistic environment for a Kafka story; The vivid descriptions of very normal village people seems to make direct contrast with Grachus’ fabulous story – and none shows any amazement on seeing the other. They both belong to same world. Another story about pre-destined - loneliness - something of a wondering Jew in it.
The Silence of the Sirens
A very good study in game theory. Both sirens and Ulysses seems to be aware of each other’s tactics and each is trying to better the other.
The Great Wall of China
An allegory on absurdity that a common man finds with his role in (God’s ) grater plan regarding the universe.
The Giant Mole
How the thing that is most important part of your life can be seen as of no value to others. It can also be read as an allegory on miracles – showing the problem of lack of belief in miracles. Giant mole being the miracle, the village school teacher being apostle and the business man being believer. Village schoolmaster lacks the skill and tools to prove beyond doubt the occurrence of miracle.
A few of my favorites:
The Truth about Sancho Panza
The brain(Sancho Panza) knows that the heart (Quixote) is full of desires that will be destructive to the whole person and so it calms the heart down by feeding it on dreams and fantasies of adventures during evenings and nights.
The Hunter Gracchus
This one begins in a very realistic environment for a Kafka story; The vivid descriptions of very normal village people seems to make direct contrast with Grachus’ fabulous story – and none shows any amazement on seeing the other. They both belong to same world. Another story about pre-destined - loneliness - something of a wondering Jew in it.
The Silence of the Sirens
A very good study in game theory. Both sirens and Ulysses seems to be aware of each other’s tactics and each is trying to better the other.
The Great Wall of China
An allegory on absurdity that a common man finds with his role in (God’s ) grater plan regarding the universe.
The Giant Mole
How the thing that is most important part of your life can be seen as of no value to others. It can also be read as an allegory on miracles – showing the problem of lack of belief in miracles. Giant mole being the miracle, the village school teacher being apostle and the business man being believer. Village schoolmaster lacks the skill and tools to prove beyond doubt the occurrence of miracle.