Content Blog: Explain how Kafka contributes to your understanding of Gothic

When thinking of Gothicism, one thinks of Kafka. In his writings, Kafka would turn the emotional and sublime gothic ideals into more personal, modern interpretations. Look at, for example, "The Castle". A story which is, on the surface, a repetitive tale of a man who can't find his way. Yet, when you dig deeper, it's full of gothic ideologies. A story about a man being questioned by the empire and forced into subservience, unable to find his way or his purpose regardless of how he tries, eventually dying as a representation of how useless his efforts had been and that one can never reach their desired destination in life. Kafka bridged the gap between modern novels and gothic writings, and authors follow his example to this day.