A Common Confusion
Encyclopedia
A Common Confusion is a short story
by Franz Kafka
. The story details transactions between A and B. A meets B at H and comes home pleased with the events. Following this, he meets B again but only after a delay to the very same H he arrived at successfully previously. B is not there. To add insult to injury
, A learns B had arrived early waiting for him. Thankfully he has an opportunity to explain to B what happened, but in his haste he trips and falls. He hears B above him stomping down the stairs enraged.
Clearly, the story has parallels with the dynamics of the officials within The Castle (novel). Like many of Kafka's characters the good intentions, hard work, and diligence are futile efforts in an indifferent world. Kafka begins the story by stating the events are a "common experience" suggesting the story is an example of a universal rule.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
. The story details transactions between A and B. A meets B at H and comes home pleased with the events. Following this, he meets B again but only after a delay to the very same H he arrived at successfully previously. B is not there. To add insult to injury
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
, A learns B had arrived early waiting for him. Thankfully he has an opportunity to explain to B what happened, but in his haste he trips and falls. He hears B above him stomping down the stairs enraged.
Clearly, the story has parallels with the dynamics of the officials within The Castle (novel). Like many of Kafka's characters the good intentions, hard work, and diligence are futile efforts in an indifferent world. Kafka begins the story by stating the events are a "common experience" suggesting the story is an example of a universal rule.