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Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka Quotes

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Famous Franz Kafka Quotes

“The observer of the soul cannot penetrate into the soul, but there doubtless is a margin where he comes into contact with it. Recognition of this contact is the fact that even the soul does not know of itself. Hence it must remain unknown. That would be sad only if there were anything apart from the soul, but there is nothing else.”

IfsKnowsDoeSoulFactsWould BeGoodnessContactRecognitionSeductionObserversPenetrateMargins
Book:The Blue Octavo Notebooks
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“Life's splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come.”

IfsLifeLyingSpiritualityNamesWaitingViewsForeverInvisibleHostileDeafFullnessDeep DownReluctantSplendorRight Words
Book:I am a memory come alive: autobiographical writings
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“He thought back on his family with deep emotion and love. His conviction that he would have to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister's. He remained in this state of empty and peaceful reflection until the tower clock struck three in the morning. He still saw that outside the window everything was beginning to grow light. Then, without his consent, his head sank down to the floor, and from his nostrils streamed his last weak breath.”

IfsStillsStatesLightLastsThreeGrowsEmotionMorningSawsReflectionWindowEmptyWeakAnd LoveBreathsConvictionDisappearPeacefulClockTowersConsentDeep Emotions
Book:The Metamorphosis
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“When K. looked at the castle, often it seemed to him as if he were observing someone who sat quietly there in front of him gazing, not lost in thought and so oblivious of everything, but free and untroubled, as if he were alone with nobody to observe him, and yet must notice that he was observed, and all the same remained with his calm not even slightly disturbed; and really - one did not know whether it was cause or effect - the gaze of the observer could not remain concentrated there, but slid away.”

IfsKnowsLostCausesEffectsFrontsCalmSatObserversCastlesObservingDisturbedGazingObliviousLost In Thought
Book:The castle
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“If I didn't have my parents to think about I'd have given in my notice a long time ago, I'd have gone up to the boss and told him just what I think, tell him everything I would, let him know just what I feel. He'd fall right off his desk! And it's a funny sort of business to be sitting up there at your desk, talking down at your subordinates from up there, especially when you have to go right up close because the boss is hard of hearing.”

IfsThinkingKnowsFeelsLongHardFallGivenParentTalkingGoneLong TimeSittingHearingBossDesksLong Time AgoSubordinatesMetamorphosisSitting UpTalking Down
Book:Metamorphosis
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“If the book we are reading does not wake us, as with a fist hammering on our skull, why then do we read? So that it shall make us happy? Good God, we should also be happy if we had no books, and such books as make us happy we could, if need be, write ourselves. But what we must have are those books which come upon us like ill fortune, and distress us deeply, like the death of one we love better than ourselves; like suicide. A book must be an ice-axe to break the sea frozen inside us.”

IfsNeedsShouldWritingDoeBookHappinessReadingLove IsBreakSeaSuicideFortuneIllAwakeningIceDistressFrozenFistsSkullsGood God
Author:Franz Kafka
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