metamorphosis intro.

reading the first couple pages of the Metamorphosis has been really fascinating. Gregor's reaction to becoming a bug is quite fascinating. most people i know including myself would scream and call for help if turned into a bug, but Gregor's only thought and concern is getting to work, it seems to be that is the one thing he cares about.   this reaction resembles the workaholic functionality of many people in this society. it resembles how bizar it is that people will waste their lives away and become a disgusting creature that no one wants to be around, and even through that care too much about work, and do nothing but.

Gregor then lies to his parents, sisters and manager saying he's perfectly ok when he really isn't and had been turned into a bug. the thought doesn't even cross his mind to mention his current state of species, simply trying to get up and out the door to catch the next train. this resembles many peoples attention to what is really important in life. because they are caught up in their work and redundant cycle they live in they miss everything else life has to offer, whether it be good or bad. 

franz kafka

Kafka was born july 3, 1883 as a first child to a merchant. Kafka grew up jewish fluent in both German and Czech. as a child he was a good student but longed to give more time to his writing. his father was a merchant selling clothing to both men and women, Kafka describes his father as oppressing. his father never really understood his creative side and yearning to write. he claims that his father has influenced his work tremendously. his mother was a lot gentler to him and was a lot more wistful. both parents were often off on business leaving Kafka and his siblings

as an adult Kafka studied law. he first worked at an insurance company but wasn't happy with the schedule as it took away from his writing time. he then resigned and found work at a different insurance company. he never seemed to love his job, he didn't hate it or love it. his dad referred to Kafka's job as a "bread job" referring to his job being there just to put food on the table and providing money and essentials, where Kafka thought of writing to be his real work.

Kafka's style of writing isn't one that is often quoted but instead is recognized for its perspective and visual qualities.

died June 3, 1924, of sickness that caused his throat to swell leaving no way for him to eat. at the time he was living they didn't have technology with alternate ways of feeding, and because his throat was in too much pain to eat he had no nutrition supplied to him, making his cause of death to probably be starvation. he was never famous when alive, though that never bothered him, and he became famous shortly after his death.

cantos 19-30

the continuing of the presentations has been interesting. its strange to see the sins change to different themes though it doesn't really seem like the punishments are getting much worse, and it doesn't seem like the sins are either. it seems like it should get worse as you go down but it doesn't seem that way at all. all of the sins and punishments are terrible, but i cant see one as being much worse than another. one change that i am seeing is that the sins seem to be getting more creative. i dont think i have the creativity to come up with some of these things.

Canto 20 with the magicians seems interesting to me. i never thought magic to be a sin. i always saw it as a form of entertainment, as good as any other. and i don't think that it should ever be a sin to want to learn more like the astrologers. i think thats a good part of human nature that should be fed, because thats how we grow as a people. so the fact that that was a sin seemed a bit backwards to me, a little like their heads. the creativity of having their heads turned around seemed fascinating as well. i most certainly never would have thought of that. i also thought it to be strange that there was only one canto with being cut as a sin. it seems like half the punishments are burning, and i feel like being cut and burning are equally as popular. maybe this is just my own belief, but i thought there was a bit too much burning and not enough variety in other punishments.

cantos 1-18

i have really been enjoying learning about the canto's of hell. i think that all of the presentations have been really interesting and informative. the style of studying Dante's inferno is so much more enjoyable than what i have heard from in other classes. i find it to be very visually stimulating and interesting. i particularly thought canto one, or limbo, to be really interesting. i always thought that those who simply didn't believe in god simply went to purgatory. i thought it strange that it was something bad enough to go to hell for. it also shocked me how close that is to many people's lives. i have heard the story of feeling lost and without hope so many times that its just interesting that that is the punishment, forced to live the life that so many on earth are already living.

in learning about Dante's inferno i found it strange that committing suicide was deeper in hell than murder. i thought the punishments for both these cantos to be really creative. i thought it to be particularly symbolic that the murderers burned in the blood that they shed. i also thought the tree idea to be symbolic to the suicides. i also thought it to be a bit extreme because of the motives of those who choose that path.  those two cantos seemed particularly intriguing to me.