Critical Analysis of Kafkas The Judgment - Paper Example

The Judgment by Franz Kafka stresses the prevalent conflict between a father and his son. Kafkas story carefully examines Georg Bendemanns many struggles that result from the tangled bends he shares with his father. The oscillations between the two characters make the storys truth unpredictable and reversible. The ever-prevailing modernistic and tormenting battle that Georg faces propels him towards a war with himself. In the end, he loses the lifelong struggle once he finds independence. Then, he lets outside forces direct way of life and instead of taking control of his life with his newfound freedom. This paper seeks to explore the story of Georg by discussing the conflict that exists between him and his father.

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From early in the story, one can see that Georgs relationship with his father is of a complex nature. Before, his mothers death, his father had a stressful and controlling behavior over Georg. This perception that his father would forever remain a controlling element in his life affected Georg greatly. His psychology was deeply offended because in imposing his control over Georg life, his father subjected him to a state of the mind in which Georg could not do anything by himself. Whenever he desired to undertake a task, he would tend to experience reluctance in doing so because his worry would be what his fathers opinion of it would be. The narrator notes Perhaps during his mothers lifetime his fathers insistence on having everything his own way in the business had hindered him from developing any real activity of his own. (Kafka, 1912) Ultimately, Georg ended up procrastinating and setting aside, many of his desired objectives until his father would let him know that it was time he thought of engaging in a given activity.

Due to the extensive amount of controlling power Georgs father exerted on him, Georg would end being as lonely and miserable as his father. Also, Georg was unable to develop into an independent and strong individual. This trend shifts when Georgs mother dies. Georg begins taking over control of the business and his father ends up being the one being doing as asked. Georgs father finds himself in a downward spiral as he loses power. Moreover, in one of the instances at work, he says, Im not equal to things any longer, my memorys failing. I havent an eye for so many things any longer. (Kafka, 1912) It is during this period that Georg seizes the opportunity and starts turning into a self-assertive individual that he had long being waiting to become.

In the final half of the story, the father-son-conflict escalates. In one case, Georg gets into his fathers room to inform him of an engagement to a girl living abroad. However, the father denies that Georgs friend exists after claiming he is feeling sick. Georg assumes that his fathers old age is affecting his understanding and therefore assures him by promising to take better care of him. To live up to his promise, Georg starts by narrating tales of his friend in the Russian revolution to jog his fathers memory. However, Georg is only trying to show that he can take care of his father even though he does not really mean it. For example, while assisting his father to bed, he is barely able to maintain eye contact while conversing with his father. Consequently, as opposed to the sickly and senile impression that the father presents, he is in fact a huge man as the narrator describes. Georg only manages to carry him to bed with extreme difficulty. This situation illustrates the level of conflict that still exists between the two characters given they detest each other even though they do not show it.

Suddenly, the caring theme that Kafka has just illustrated reverses when his father gets to bed and asks Georg whether he is well covered up. However, the father denies it as he gets up to sit upright. You wanted to cover me up, my son, but Im far from being covered up. (Kafka, 1912) He reveals that Georgs caring attitude was a pretense, which he was displaying whereas his real intention was to get rid of his father. This revelation is then followed by a series of accusations between the two characters. Georgs father, who was supposedly sick now, mentions that he actually knows who Georgs friend is. He reveals that he actually stood by the friend in Russia. He goes ahead to confess that he actually considers him as his true son and accuses Georg of betraying him. After revealing all the events Georg had concealed about his fathers friend, the fathers sickness is also revealed as a pretense. At this point, the conflict between the two characters oscillates sharply as they both accuse each other of lying. Moreover, because of betraying his friend in Russia, Georgs father even threatens to separate his son from his future bride. On the other hand, Georg, who has been exposed for lying seats back and starts wishing his father falls and dies.

Eventually, Georg loses to his father and succumbs to his submissive side. Hence, he commits suicide instead of admitting his mistake and apologizing. Although Georgs life changes for the better after his mother passes away, he is unable to deal with the twisted relationship he has with his father and himself. The judgment may not appeal to every individual but the emotional impact it has is profound.

Work Cited

Kafka, Franz. The judgment. Modern Libr., 1912.