The Classic Collection of Franz Kafka. Novellas and Stories: The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, Jackals and Arabs, Hunger Artist, A Country Doctor and others

by Franz Kafka

"The Classic Collection of Franz Novellas and Stories" brings together a selection of extraordinary works by Franz Kafka, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. This collection showcases Kafka's unique literary style and his exploration of existential themes, alienation, and the human condition.
"The Metamorphosis" is a haunting novella that follows the bizarre transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect, exploring themes of identity, isolation, and the absurdity of human existence. In "In the Penal Colony," Kafka delves into themes of justice, punishment, and the dehumanizing effects of institutional power.
"Jackals and Arabs" examines the complexities of power dynamics and cultural clashes, while "The Hunger Artist" delves into themes of self-denial, artistic suffering, and the pursuit of meaning. "A Country Doctor" depicts the struggles and ethical dilemmas faced by a doctor in a small village, merging the ordinary with the surreal.
Kafka's works are characterized by their introspective and unsettling atmosphere, intricate symbolism, and a sense of unease that pervades his narratives. His writing explores the depths of the human psyche and confronts the readers with the absurdities and uncertainties of existence.
"The Classic Collection of Franz Kafka" is an essential read for lovers of literary fiction and those interested in exploring the complexities of human nature. Kafka's stories continue to captivate readers with their enigmatic narratives, thought-provoking themes, and their ability to evoke a profound sense of introspection and contemplation.

The Metamorphosis
In the Penal Colony
Jackals and Arabs
Hunger Artist
Before the Law
An Imperial Message
A Country Doctor
A Report for an Academy
The Judgement
The Hunter Gracchus
Rejection
Children on a Country Road
The Way Home
Unhappiness
Unmasking a Confidence Trickster
On the Tram
Josephine the Songstress
The Great Wall of China
Up in the Gallery
Absent-Minded Window-Gazing
Clothes
The Tradesman

Illustrations by René Magritte

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2023

About the author

Franz Kafka was a German-speaking writer from Prague whose work became one of the foundations of modern literature, even though he published only a small part of his writing during his lifetime. Born into a middle-class Jewish family in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Kafka grew up amid German, Czech, and Jewish cultural influences that shaped his sense of displacement and linguistic precision. His difficult relationship with his authoritarian father left a lasting mark, fostering feelings of guilt, anxiety, and inadequacy that became central themes in his fiction and personal writings.
Kafka studied law at the German University in Prague, earning a doctorate in 1906. He chose law for practical reasons rather than personal inclination, a compromise that troubled him throughout his life. After university, he worked for several insurance institutions, most notably the Workers Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia. His duties included assessing industrial accidents and drafting legal reports, work he carried out competently and responsibly. Nevertheless, Kafka regarded his professional life as an obstacle to his true vocation, and most of his writing was done at night or during periods of illness and leave. Kafka began publishing short prose pieces in his early adulthood, later collected in volumes such as Contemplation and A Country Doctor. These works attracted little attention at the time but already displayed the hallmarks of his mature style, including precise language, emotional restraint, and the application of calm logic to deeply unsettling situations. His major novels The Trial, The Castle, and Amerika were left unfinished and unpublished during his lifetime. They depict protagonists trapped within opaque systems of authority, facing accusations, rules, or hierarchies that remain unexplained and unreachable. Themes of alienation, guilt, bureaucracy, law, and punishment run throughout Kafka’s work. His characters often respond to absurd or terrifying circumstances with obedience or resignation, reflecting his own conflicted relationship with authority and obligation. Kafka’s prose avoids overt symbolism, yet his narratives function as powerful metaphors through structure, repetition, and tone. Ordinary environments gradually become nightmarish without losing their internal coherence. Kafka’s personal life was marked by emotional conflict, chronic self-doubt, and recurring illness. He formed intense but troubled romantic relationships, including engagements that he repeatedly broke off, fearing that marriage would interfere with his writing. His extensive correspondence and diaries reveal a relentless self-critic, deeply concerned with morality, spirituality, and the demands of artistic integrity. In his later years, Kafka’s health deteriorated due to tuberculosis, forcing him to withdraw from work and spend long periods in sanatoriums. Despite his illness, he continued writing when possible. He died young, leaving behind a large body of unpublished manuscripts. Before his death, he instructed his close friend Max Brod to destroy all of his remaining work. Brod ignored this request and instead edited and published Kafka’s novels, stories, and diaries, ensuring his posthumous reputation.
The publication of Kafka’s work after his death established him as one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. The term Kafkaesque entered common usage to describe situations marked by oppressive bureaucracy, absurd logic, and existential anxiety. His writing has been interpreted through existential, religious, psychological, and political perspectives, though Kafka himself resisted definitive meanings. His enduring power lies in his ability to articulate modern anxiety with clarity and restraint.