FRANZ KAFKA, LETTER TO HIS FATHER.

 

It is common knowledge that in the old days, but unfortunately also in some countries of today's era, families were dominated by the "power" of the father, that is, he was given the sense of possession of power. More specifically, the well-known patriarchy was quite common.

This fact is also confirmed in the book of the author Franz Kafka entitled "Letter to the Father", in which he writes a letter to his strict and cruel father, in order to explain to him what he considers wrong in his behavior and also to narrate events of his everyday life that prove his views. This letter, however, was never read by its recipient.

The Czech writer lived his years trying to free the trapped child he hid inside himself despite the imposing father, who stood in the way of his every step, until the end of his life, in 1924, at the age of forty, from tuberculosis. In 1919 he wrote this letter, handing it over to his mother, although she was also under the influence of her husband. Thus, the letter did not manage to reach the hands of his father.

In that letter he writes:

“Dearest Father, You asked me recently why I maintain that I am afraid of you. As usual, I was unable to think of any answer to your question, partly for the very reason that I am afraid of you, and partly because an explanation of the grounds for this fear would mean going into far more details than I could even approximately keep in mind while talking. And if I now try to give you an answer in writing, it will still be very incomplete, because, even in writing, this fear and its consequences hamper me in relation to you and because the magnitude of the subject goes far beyond the scope of my memory and power of reasoning.”

In his introduction, the fear of the father that he feels in his every move, even through a written text, is captured. Of course, in my opinion, through the prologue we also see a kind of love that hides within him, as he addresses his father in a kind, in a way, style.

In the later flow of the book, the author Franz Kafka, explains that he does not "incriminate" his father, nor does he give him the burden of responsibility, but, on the contrary, makes a constant effort to justify his actions. In addition, in the sequel to the letter, he recounts a "variety" of events from members of his family, mainly from his siblings, to present the parent's distinction between children, although throughout the duration of the letter he focuses on his father.

This book could be considered more like a part of the author's soul, but also of life, than "food" for his readers.

 

Summing up, we can point out that Kafka concludes with the view that, despite what happened, his father cared about him and, as a parent, there is no doubt that he wanted the good of his son. Effortlessly, therefore, it is concluded that he himself through his letter, although he "struggles" to hide the love he feels for his father, he can penetrate it with his words and be felt by every reader of the book.

"I am free and that is why I am lost."

Franz Kafka 

 

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