7 Iconic Quotes By Franz Kafka That Reveal His Dark Genius

“I am a cage, in search of a bird.”

A reflection on personal confinement and the desire for freedom or expression

“The meaning of life is that it ends.”

A stark and existential observation about the inevitable nature of death

“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.”

Kafka emphasizes the transformative power of literature to awaken the soul

“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”

A poignant expression of the isolation and inner turmoil Kafka often explored

“Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.”

Encouraging personal integrity and the courage to pursue what’s morally right

“Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind the slime of a new bureaucracy.”

A cynical view of political movements and the often disappointing aftermath of change

“I am free and that is why I am lost.”

Kafka reflects on the paradox of freedom leading to a sense of disorientation or purposelessness