Kafka s The Penal Colony - 1231 Words

Kafka’s â€Å"In the Penal Colony† tells the story of a European traveller who has been invited to observe an unnamed penal colony’s system of justice and punishment. Throughout the foreign traveller’s visit, a character referred to as â€Å"the Officer† zealously defends the colony’s justice system by explaining—from his point of view—how one is convicted and punished. A convicted individual—referred to as â€Å"the Condemned†Ã¢â‚¬â€is to face punishment; unfortunately for him, only one form of penalty exists in this society’s system: a tortuous execution by a device known simply as â€Å"the apparatus.† This capital punishment is falling out of favor with the majority of the colony’s citizens—including the new commandant, leaving the Officer to implore the Traveller’s support of his beloved machine (Kafka). Under its surface, this story actually speaks to much more than a s imple ideological debate; digging deeper, one can come to realize that it touches on a much more severe type of conflict: war. By analyzing Kafka’s characters and looking at numerous conflicts throughout human history, one can conclude that in every war, there are different sides, each with their own ideals: one will prosper, another will be defeated, one will be dragged into the conflict, and one will refuse to intervene. First, one can begin looking further into the characters whose involvement in Kafka’s penal colony began before the beginning of the short story: the new Commandant and the Officer. These charactersShow MoreRelatedFranz Kafka s The Penal Colony Essay1835 Words   |  8 PagesIn Franz Kafka’s â€Å"In the Penal Colony,† there is no presumption of innocence whatsoever; there is only presumption. â€Å"Innocent until proven guilty.† This presumption of innocence is considered to be the foundation of a civilized criminal justice s ystem, as well as within the fundamental rights of mankind. The Officer says that â€Å"guilt is never to be doubted,† and because he was ordained the judge of the penal colony, there is no proper trial or â€Å"due process† needed, as all are guilty in the eyes ofRead MoreThe Ideologies Of His Works Essay1551 Words   |  7 Pagesnot voice his ideologies on the Slavic culture, Jewish existence, and bureaucratic system ; however, he still managed to mirror his perceptions of his society in his works. Kafka was born on July 3,1883 and raised in Prague, Bohemia. In the 1900s, societies structured their family through the patriarchal system. Franz Kafka was the first born of six children, consequently, forcing him to shoulder most of the responsibilities and discipline that come with being an eldest child. Kafka’s father inRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s Life1811 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophy that is often analyzed through literature. Franz Kafka is a key example of the limitless nature of this theme as his many works are divisive in how they connect with existentialism. Kafka is a unique storyteller and his stories have captivated generations since their publications. His background is important in understanding his seeming detachment from his writing. Kafka’s life is described by Ritchie Robertson in â€Å"Biography of Franz Kafka† as â€Å"strikingly ordinary† with the only notable commentaryRead MoreFranz Kafka s Life And Work1738 Words   |  7 PagesAuthor Franz Kafka was born on the third of July, 1883, as the oldest child of Hermann Kafka and his wife Julie in Prague. His family from the fathers side was from Sà ¼dbà ¶hmen und moved later on to Prague. His mother was originally from a wealthy and popular german-jewish family. His father grew up in a part of the tschechisch-jewish part in Milieu, but the family was more orientated at the german speaking culture in Prague, like everyone else in this time at this place. Kafka had three youngerRead MoreThis Tournament Goes to Eleven4982 Words   |  20 Pagesforehead and has characters called The Traveler, The Solider, The Inscriber, and The Condemned. The latter endures a torture device that carves into the skin of prisoners before they die. In the Penal Colony was written by, For 10 points, what author of Amerika, The Trial, and The Metamorphosis. ANSWER: Franz Kafka 5. He composed the lines Youth will have needs dalliance / Of good or ill some pastance in the song Pastime with Good Company, and railed against Martin Luther in the treatise AssertioRead MoreExistentialism vs Essentialism23287 Words   |  94 PagesThe philosophy that encompasses the absurd is referred to as  absurdism. While absurdism may be considered a branch of existentialism, it is a specific idea that is not necessary to an existentialist view. * It s easy to highlight the absurdity of the human quest for purpose. It s common to assume that everything must have a purpose, a higher reason for existence. However, if one thing has a higher purpose, what is the reason for that purpose? Each new height must then be validated by a higher