Some deny the existence of misery by pointing to the sun; he denies the existence of the sun by pointing to misery.
Franz KafkaRead
A book should serve as an axe to the ice inside us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Books are tools for breaking down emotional barriers.
Franz Kafka's quote suggests that literature has the power to challenge and change our inner selves, much like an axe can break through ice. It implies that a good book can help us confront our coldness or numbness and lead us to introspection and personal growth.
Themes
BooksLiteratureSelf-DiscoveryPersonal GrowthEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
During a book club meeting to emphasize the transformative power of reading.
More from Franz Kafka
All quotes βOne can disintegrate the world by means of very strong light. For weak eyes the world becomes solid, for still weaker eyes it seems to develop fists, for eyes weaker still it becomes shamefaced and smashes anyone who dares to gaze upon it.
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But Gregor understood easily that it was not only consideration for him which prevented their moving, for he could easily have been transported in a suitable crate with a few air holes; what mainly prevented the family from moving was their complete hopelessness and the thought that they had been struck by a misfortune as none of their relatives and acquaintances had ever been hit.
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Association with human beings lures one into self-observation.
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A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity.
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The ulterior motives with which you absorb and assimilate Evil are not your own but those of Evil. _x000D_ The animal wrests the whip from its master and whips itself in order to become master, not knowing that this is only a fantasy produced by a new knot in the master's whiplash.
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