Franz Kafka

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 Franz Kafka was born on July 3, 1883, in Prague, which at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was raised in a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family. Although his family was not strictly religious, Kafka was deeply aware of his Jewish heritage. He grew up in a cultural environment where German, Czech, and Jewish identities intersected. His father, Hermann Kafka, was a successful but domineering businessman, while his mother, Julie, was better educated and came from a more intellectual background. Kafka often felt caught between his modern, assimilated upbringing and a spiritual pull toward traditional Jewish life. These tensions would later shape much of his writing and inner world.  

Franz Kafka is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His works, including The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle, explore themes of alienation, absurdity, and the struggle for meaning in an often overwhelming and impersonal world. His writing style is marked by clarity and surrealism, blending reality with dream-like logic. Although he published only a few works during his lifetime, Kafka wrote extensively and instructed his friend Max Brod to destroy his manuscripts after his death. Fortunately, Brod ignored this request and preserved Kafka’s writings, which went on to shape modern literature and philosophy. Today, the term “Kafkaesque” is used to describe situations that are nightmarishly complex or illogical — a testament to his enduring impact.  

Kafka’s work gave voice to the anxieties of the modern age, especially those surrounding identity, power, and the individual’s place in society. For many Jewish readers, Kafka’s sense of estrangement reflected the experience of Jews in early 20th-century Europe — caught between tradition and assimilation, visibility and exclusion. His writings have been studied by literary scholars, psychologists, philosophers, and political theorists. He has influenced generations of writers, including Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jorge Luis Borges, and many more. Kafka’s deeply personal yet universal themes resonate with readers across cultures and time periods. Despite his own personal struggles and tragic early death from tuberculosis at age 40, Kafka’s voice continues to challenge and inspire the world. 

• Pioneer of modern existential and absurdist literature
   
• Author of major works such as The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle
   
• Introduced the concept of the “Kafkaesque,” describing surreal or oppressive bureaucratic situations
   
• Explored themes of alienation, identity, and power structures that remain relevant today
   
• Deeply influenced world literature, philosophy, and psychoanalysis
   
• His work reflected the complexities of Jewish identity in early 20th-century Europe
   
• Preserved thanks to his friend Max Brod, despite Kafka’s wishes for his work to be destroyed 

• Franz Kafka was born in the city of ________ in 1883.
   
• His most famous short story is The __________, about a man who turns into a giant insect.
   
• Kafka struggled with his relationship with his __________, who was a strict and dominant figure.
   
• He asked his friend Max ________ to destroy his work after his death.
   
• The word “___________” is used today to describe bizarre and oppressive situations, inspired by Kafka’s stories.

Unscramble these Kafka-related terms:

1. KAAF – __________
    
2. UREDAICRAUB – __________
    
3. PHLOAENSTITEX – __________
    
4. ORBD – __________
    
5. SISMETAMORHOP – __________