Kafkaesque

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Kafkaesque" is an adjective which is used to describe concepts, situations, and ideas which are reminiscent of the literary work of Prague writer Franz Kafka, particularly his novel The Trial and his novella The Metamorphosis.

The term, which is quite fluid in definition, has also been described as "marked by a senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity: Kafkaesque bureaucracies" [1] and "marked by surreal distortion and often a sense of impending danger: Kafkaesque fantasies of the impassive interrogation, the false trial, the confiscated passport . . . haunt his innocence" — The New Yorker. [2]

It can also describe an intentional distortion of reality by powerful but anonymous bureaucrats. "Lack of evidence is treated as a pesky inconvenience, to be circumvented by such Kafkaesque means as depositing unproven allegations into sealed files ..." Another definition would be an existentialist state of ever-elusive freedom while existing under unmitigatable control.

The adjective refers to anything suggestive of Kafka, especially his nightmarish type of narration, in which characters lack a clear course of action, the ability to see beyond immediate events, and the possibility of escape. The term's meaning has transcended the literary realm to apply to real-life occurrences and situations that are incomprehensibly complex, bizarre, or illogical.

[edit] Cultural references

On November 30, 2006, a federal judge condemned the bureaucracy at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as "Kafkaesque" and ordered them to resume benefits to hurricane Katrina victims.

From Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall:

Rolling Stone Reporter: Having sex with you is a really Kafkaesque experience. I mean that as a compliment.

Alvy Singer: Umm...thank you.

In the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes Hobbes remarks that people need good night smooches so they don't get Kafka dreams.

In the film The Squid and the Whale, Walt, a high school student, tries to impress Sophie by describing The Metamorphosis as "Kafkaesque." His plan backfires when she says "Of course, because it's written by Franz Kafka."

In the TV series Mission Hill, cartoonist Andy French displays a drawing of a woman at a meat store pointing at a steak and saying "That is so kafkaesque!". Andy explains that it's meant as a satire to the people who misuse the phrase.

In the computer graphic adventure Sam & Max, when they find a human-flea creature at a freak show, Max says "How Kafkaesque...".

In the movie Naked Lunch, Joan Lee says that she gets a "Kafkaesque high" off bug powder. "It makes you feel like a bug."

In one episode of Malcolm in the Middle, when Reese is cornered by a brother of a kid in Malcolm's "smart school", the kid remarks "Kafkaesque, isn't it?"--remarking on the difficulty of the situation for Reece.

In an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent, a husband who refused to disclose the location of marital assets (over 15 million dollars) was put in jail longer than any other person in New York state for Contempt of Court. When being interviewed by Detective Goren, the husband referred to his situation as "kafkaesque".

In the episode of The Venture Bros. "Mid-life Chrysalis" Dr. Venture describes his situation as being "torn from the pages of Kafka" after being turned into a giant caterpillar.

In the Mel Brooks 1987 Star Wars spoof Spaceballs, Rick Moranis' character Dark Helmet says, "Prepare for metamorphosis. Are you ready, Kafka?"

In the movie Congo when Grant Heslov's character is being interrogated, he says "This is pure Kafka!", to which his interrogator harshly asks "Who's Kafka?! Tell me!!".

In an episode of Veronica Mars, Veronica's essay was identified by a plagiarism program and said to have been posted a year earlier. The character she was with remarked, ""This must be a real Kafka-esque experience for you."