“At the End of the Day, It’s Just Kafka and Me”: The Trial, “The Judgment” and “The Metamorphosis” in University Coursework

Abstract

This paper explores the enduring fascination that Franz Kafka’s work holds for students of the Faculty of Philology. Even though The Trial, a novel on their high school reading list, is fairly enigmatic, Kafka usually captivates students long before they enter the university. Their engagement with his short stories and other novels during their studies only intensifies this connection. Presented as a collage, this paper interweaves foundational information about Kafka’s works from the compulsory Comparative Literature course with student perspectives. Though the sample is small, it powerfully illustrates Kafka’s lasting appeal to literature students, despite the seemingly unusual, enigmatic, and claustrophobic nature of his prose. Particularly striking is some readers’ deep identification with Kafka’s characters and their profound emotional response to a prose that doesn’t overtly solicit such feelings. For many, Kafka's narratives become a staple, enduring read. As one student succinctly put it: “Ultimately, it’s always just Kafka and me.”