Due to his impact on modern literature and the brute realism of his work, Franz Kafka was honored through the Franz Kafka Exhibition in The Morgan Library & Museum in Nov. 2024. As the calendar approaches its anniversary, the influence of Kafka on generations of readers is undeniable – but one question arises: Will his relevance continue to echo through future societies?
“To read one of his novels is, for students, to come into imaginative contact with the civilizations and bureaucracies that represent our world,” English faculty Daniel Bush said. “ Kafka produces a feeling of dread and alienation that is very striking, which connects deeply with readers. His work is fundamentally weird, but it’s that weirdness and imaginative force that resonates with the time and is what makes the writing meaningful and continuously present throughout the generations,”
Born in Prague, the German-language writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924) is known for his outstanding works of literature, ranging from the contestation of bureaucracy found in The Trial to the representation of alienation in The Metamorphosis. Every one of Kafka’s works has an irreplaceable imprint on the world of literature, and The Morgan Library & Museum showcased this excellence in an exhibition dedicated to the writer, which was open from Nov. 22, 2024 to April 13, 2025. The exhibition at The Morgan made manuscripts, diaries, photographs, and correspondence of Kafka’s open to the public, allowing the world to view literary breakthroughs such as The Judgement, and the original manuscripts of many famed novellas.
His relatively small body of work hailed one of the most impactful effects on not only the creative endeavors, but the process of thought that reigned over the twentieth and the early twenty-first centuries. Though his influence has been beyond doubt, the decision to prolong his legacy is in the hands of our current educators.
It is clear that Kafka’s ideas have sparked a lasting conflict in the minds of the modern world, but the darkness found in his art is exactly what makes it contestably pernicious for future generations. Though much of Kafka’s work goes to question societal constructs, the core of his insights might inevitably change the ideation of generations to come, for better or worse. Students themselves have found inevitable relevance through Kafka’s work, inspiring them to dive deeper into his concepts, despite the many misconceptions and complex topics brought up throughout his novellas.
“Franz Kafka is relevant in today’s society and especially teens because teens also feel helpless or lost academically and socially every day because of the high standards we set,” sophomore Gigi Compaglia said. “Kafka allows them to feel seen through his work and make sure their feelings are relatable through his writing.”
It is said that the perpetually insoluble nature of Kafka’s work is what makes it everpresent, and that alone should inspire educators to continue the sharing of his pieces. Kafka’s work should be read in full during times of societal confusion, according to Joshua Cohen under The Paris Review. Though short, this statement makes Kafka’s literary contributions evergreen, as individuals will never be able to fully pinpoint the objective moral construct, epistemology, or the aim of bureaucratic systems that countermand daily life.
“Kafka’s writing is still important because it allows people to keep questioning the world around them,” junior Bibiana Renazco-Magelssen said. “Its good for new generations to continue figuring out the world and having a solid understanding of what they’re living through.”
Despite the changes in society, the impact of Kafka’s work will prevail throughout modern shifts in society due to its universal teachings and blunt realism. His unapologetically dark writing not only captivates readers, but imprints ideas that will be carried throughout the generations, despite the many controversies around their meanings. As the calendar nears the anniversary of the Franz Kafka Exhibition in The Morgan Library & Museum, many believe that it is crucial the world begins to take notice of the influence and attempt to reconcile with its control over the progress of ideation.
“Kafka essentially opened up the artistic possibilities that would become post-modernism. It took somebody like Kafka to realize what was possible in the genre of the short story in literature to show the way for others to come,” Bush said. “If you want to understand where modern literature originated, it is crucial to read Kafka.”
