Franz Kafka Quotes

Czech Republic, Novelist
July 3, 1883 – June, 3, 1924.

Franz Kafka(3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian Jewish novelist and short story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work, which fuses elements of realism and the fantastic, typically features isolated protagonists faced by bizarre or surrealistic predicaments and incomprehensible social-bureaucratic powers, and has been interpreted as exploring themes of alienation, existential anxiety, guilt, and absurdity. His best known works include "Die Verwandlung" ("The Metamorphosis"), Der Process (The Trial), and Das Schloss (The Castle). The term Kafkaesque has entered the English language to describe situations like those in his writing.

Also known as Short Story Writer

There are only two things. Truth and lies. Truth is indivisible, hence it cannot recognize itself; anyone who wants to recognize it has to be a lie.

Franz Kafka
- Truth
- Lies
I no longer know If I wish to drown myself in love, vodka or the sea.

Franz Kafka
- Know
- Wish
- Sea

You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world, that is something you are free to do and it accords with your nature, but perhaps this very holding back is the one suffering you could avoid.

Franz Kafka
- World
- Nature
- Free
All knowledge, the totality of all questions and all answers, is contained in the dog. If one could but realize this knowledge, if one could but bring it into the light of day, if we dogs would but own that we know infinitely more than we admit to ourselves!

Franz Kafka
- Knowledge
- Light
- Dog
The truth is always an abyss.

Franz Kafka
- Truth Is
- Abyss
Anything that has real and lasting value is always a gift from within.

Franz Kafka
- Real
- Value
- Gift
Plenty of hope - for God - no end of hope - only not for us.

Franz Kafka
- God
- Hope
A lawyer is a person who writes a 10,000-word document and calls it a "brief."

Franz Kafka
- Lawyer
- Writes
- Brief

Evil is whatever distracts.

Franz Kafka
- Evil
We are separated from God on two sides; the Fall separates us from Him, the Tree of Life separates Him from us.

Franz Kafka
- Life
- God
- Fall
Previously I did not understand why I got no answer to my question; today I do not understand how I could believe I was capable of asking. But I didn’t really believe, I only asked.

Franz Kafka
- Believe
- Why
- Today
One of the first signs of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die.

Franz Kafka
- Die
- Wish
- Understanding
I am free and that is why I am lost.

Franz Kafka
- Free
- Lost
Every thing that you love, you will eventually lose, but in the end, love will return in a different form.

Franz Kafka
- Different
- Love
- Lose

How can one take delight in the world unless one flees to it for refuge?

Franz Kafka
- World
People label themselves with all sorts of adjectives. I can only pronounce myself as 'nauseatingly miserable beyond repair'.

Franz Kafka
- People
- Repair
- Pronounce
I can love only what I can place so high above me that I cannot reach it.

Franz Kafka
- Love
- Place
- Reach
I do not read advertisements. I would spend all of my time wanting things.

Franz Kafka
- Time
There can be knowledge of the diabolical, but no belief in it, for more of the diabolical than there is does not exist.

Franz Kafka
- Knowledge
No sooner said than done - so acts your man of worth.

Franz Kafka
- Done

The purpose of a story is to be an axe that breaks up the ice within us.

Franz Kafka
- Purpose
- Story
- Ice
In theory there is a possibility of perfect happiness: To believe in the indestructible element within one, and not to strive towards it.

Franz Kafka
- Believe
- Perfect
Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.

Franz Kafka
First impressions are always unreliable.

Franz Kafka