The Father Who Changed a Writers Life Essay - 1026 Words

Born in Prague on July 3, 1883, Franz Kafka had become one of the most influential existential writers of the twentieth century. Kafka’s works often portrayed ideas such as isolation, alienation, and authoritarian oppression (â€Å"Franz Kafka†). As like most writers, their works are influenced by either an event or a person’s role in their life, Kafka had his influence. Kafka’s father played one of the more prominent roles in his life that can be seen in his writing and even after the day he dies. Hermann Kafka, Kafka’s father, and portrayed by his son as a â€Å"large, loud, volatile, and domineering† said by NNDB. Kafka’s father is not been depicted in his works, yet Kafka even address a letter, â€Å"Letter to my Father† or â€Å"Dearest Father†, about†¦show more content†¦At that moment an almost unending stream of traffic was going over the bridge.† (â€Å"The Judgment† 15), much like how Kafka always thought of dying, writing in his diary, I would stand at the window for long periods, and was frequently tempted to amaze the toll collector on the bridge below by my plunge. (â€Å"Franz Kafka Biography†). Other parallels Kafka’s story shares are similiar situations he would find himself in with his father. One of these parallels is seen in both books, â€Å"The Judgment† and â€Å"Letter to my Father†. In which Georg’s father disapproves of his son’s marriage: â€Å"But look at me,† cried his father, and George ran, almost distracted, to the bed to take everything in, but he faltered half way. â€Å"Because she hoisted up her skirts,† the father began in an affected tone, â€Å"because she hoisted up her skirts like this, the repulsive goose,† and in order to imitate the action, he raised his shirt so high one could see the scar from his war years on his thigh, â€Å"because she hoisted her dress up like this and this, you chatted her up, and that’s how you could satisfy yourself with her without being disturbed—youve disgraced our mother’s memory, betrayed your friend, and stuck your father in bed, so he can’t move. But he can move, can’t he?† (11) For Georg, the disapproval of marriage by his father, meant a lot, much like it did for Kafka. 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