Franz Kafka

            
             With his unique, meaningful and incomparable works Franz Kafka shows us how humans can be psychologically destroyed and harmed by people who are important part of every human's life. In his works he brings his own life to show a real struggle that he had in his life. Almost in all Kafka's works the author expresses the alienation of the 20th century man. The author's health problem was also an important biographical factor in his works. His fear of physical and mental collapse dramatized in stories such as "The Metamorphosis" and "A Country Doctor".
             Born in Prague and being a German speaking Jew, Kafka grew up being socially rejected because he was a part of Prague's Jewish minority. Most of his works were about struggle between father and son, or individuals" pleading innocence in front of remote figures of authority (http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kafka.htm). In his short stories "The Metamorphosis" and "The Judgment" the author shows a disturbing relationship between father and son, which is thought to be carrying and loving for many, can sometimes become hateful. In Kafka's works the author avoids sentimentality and moral interpretation. In his short story "The Metamorphosis", Kafka presents a conventional, respectable protagonist whose life is suddenly changed by a physical disability which stays until the last minute of his life ( http:www.storybites.com/kafkametamorph.htm). The story opens with Gregor Samsa, a young traveling salesman, who wakes up turned into a gigantic insect. Soon everything changes. No one understands his insect speech, how he scurries under the furniture and eats rotten food there. He remains locked in his room by his family. His father throws apples on him because he scurries into the living room. One of the apples "penetrated Gregor's back" which becomes the reason of his death. One might think why the father figure is such harsh and cold and becomes abusive to their sons.