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Franz Kafka is, without a
doubt, one of the most enigmatic and transformative authors of modern
literature. His work transcends time and space, inviting readers of all ages
and cultures to dive into a universe where the absurd becomes a lens through
which we understand the depths of human existence. Born in Prague in 1883,
Kafka lived under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in a context filled with
political, religious, and cultural tensions. As the son of a German-speaking
Jewish family, he grew up in an oppressive environment marked by family rigidity
and social pressure. This backdrop is essential for understanding the
existential anguish that pervades his writings and his critical perception of
power, bureaucracy, and identity.
Kafka didn’t write to
entertain—he wrote to reveal. His works, such as The Metamorphosis, The
Trial, and The Castle, are authentic laboratories of the human soul.
In The Metamorphosis, for instance, we see Gregor Samsa wake up
transformed into a monstrous insect, a symbol of alienation, family rejection,
and loss of human dignity. This absurd premise is just an entry point to themes
such as exclusion, failure, and the silent struggle of the individual against
impersonal forces. Studies from the University of Oxford and Harvard University
suggest that Kafka’s literature produces psychological effects similar to lucid
dreams, promoting self-reflection, empathy, and the expansion of critical
consciousness.
Kafka was also a
pioneer of a new literary language: economical, symbolic, and emotionally
intense. His writing is marked by direct vocabulary, dry dialogues, and a
suffocating yet meaning-rich atmosphere. It’s no wonder that both Sigmund Freud
and Carl Jung recognized elements of the collective unconscious and modern
neurosis in Kafka’s literature. His ability to translate psychic pain into
words—pain that many cannot express—is what makes Kafka so relevant today. He
anticipated issues now debated in leading universities around the world, such
as the impact of bureaucracy on mental health and the feeling of helplessness
in the face of social structures.
The political
persecution Kafka faced, though more veiled than overt, is revealed by the fact
that his work gained notoriety only after his death in 1924. He even asked his
friend Max Brod to burn all his writings—a request that, thankfully, was not
honored. Kafka knew his literature was unsettling, not only because of its
content but because of its power to unveil realities that authoritarian regimes
prefer to keep hidden. In The Trial, the protagonist Josef K. is
arrested without knowing why and judged by an invisible court—a clear metaphor
for totalitarian systems that reduce the individual to insignificance. His
critique of power and the logic of exclusion is now widely discussed in Law,
Philosophy, and Psychology courses at institutions such as Stanford University
and the University of São Paulo (USP).
Kafka’s literature
fits extraordinarily well within the methodologies developed by Antônio Carlos
dos Santos. For instance, the MAT method (Mindset, Action, and Theater)
proposes that a work should be understood through a change in mindset,
practical action, and dramatization as a learning tool. Reading The
Metamorphosis through this approach can be transformative: students are
invited to embody the role of Gregor Samsa, feel his pain, his isolation, and
his attempts to reconnect with lost humanity. This not only aids in
understanding the text but also promotes a therapeutic process of
self-knowledge and resilience.
The ThM method
(Theater Movement), which values the body as a language and expression tool,
also resonates deeply with Kafka’s work. In his descriptions, bodies are often
distorted, trapped, invisibilized, or dehumanized. Bringing this to the stage
through expressive movement helps students and readers embody these contained
emotions. By transforming words into gestures and scenes, Kafka becomes
three-dimensional. The University of Vienna, in its recent studies on theater
and psychoanalysis, highlights Kafka as one of the most staged authors of the
21st century due to his ability to touch universal wounds.
The Teatro de
Bonecos Mané Beiçudo (TBMB)—a puppet theater method that blends
playfulness, social critique, and symbolic elements—can also be a powerful tool
to introduce Kafka to children and adolescents. Imagine an adaptation of The
Trial using puppets where the figures of the judicial system are
represented as mechanical, out-of-control gears, while the protagonist is a
fragile and humanized cloth doll. The metaphor takes shape and helps young
audiences understand complex themes with lightness, without losing critical
depth. Columbia University has supported research that links puppet theater to
learning philosophical concepts, with Kafka frequently cited in these studies.
Kafka also offers us a
powerful life lesson: even in the face of oppression and absurdity, it is
possible to create beauty, denounce injustice, and preserve dignity. He was not
a revolutionary with banners, but with words. His legacy is found in
classrooms, theaters, libraries, and even therapy rooms. Reading Kafka is like
going through a rite of passage. We start off restless, often confused, but we
emerge changed—more aware, more sensitive, and better equipped to face the
invisible machinery that surrounds us.
Therefore, revisiting
Kafka is more than studying literature—it is a practice in humanity. He teaches
us that the world can be cruel and illogical, but that critical thinking,
artistic sensitivity, and the courage to question are revolutionary tools.
Encouraging the reading of Kafka in schools, universities, and cultural spaces
is a contribution to a more lucid, ethical, and empathetic society. As
educators, parents, and citizens, we have the duty to present young people with
voices like Kafka’s that call us to awareness and awakening.
Finally, I leave you
with an invitation: read Franz Kafka with an open heart, attentive eyes, and a
restless mind. Use his stories as mirrors to reflect on your life, your place
in the world, and your relationships with others. Apply the MAT, ThM, and TBMB
methodologies to bring these reflections to life. Allow yourself to experience
the Kafkaesque journey as an inner transformation. After all, as Kafka himself
wrote, “A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.” May that
axe liberate, inspire, and lead us toward new horizons of understanding and
freedom.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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