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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
Not the best of Kafka. A satire on scientific methods and too much dependence on logic in order to discover the truth. The dogs are too unable to see presence of a higher intelligence in form of human beings; perhaps are unwilling to even think of it - just as human atheists are unwilling to see chance of existence of a higher intelligence than themselves.
Also perhaps Kafka is satirizing his own methods.
It is something that narrator said about the dogs not speaking which interest me. Kafka must have felt inadequacy of ability to communicate, something like narrator (Dog) also feels. Whenever I try to imagine Kafka in my mind, I see a guy who has big ideas in his mind and is frustrated because he is unable to communicate them. If you have read his novels specially 'The Castle' you would recall the long monologues people get into in trying to understand things - analyzing, assuming, postulating, concluding, than conditioning their own conclusions. Now you may be like this is not how people talk in real life - but that is Kafka's entire point. His Dog complains dogs won't talk, speak out what they all know and hence keep knowledge stays limited. People, Kafka believes, are also like those dogs - they know the things worth talking about (may be he is giving too much credit to us) They may go around gossiping, fighting etc. but won't, perhaps are unable, to talk about real ideas.
Also perhaps Kafka is satirizing his own methods.
It is something that narrator said about the dogs not speaking which interest me. Kafka must have felt inadequacy of ability to communicate, something like narrator (Dog) also feels. Whenever I try to imagine Kafka in my mind, I see a guy who has big ideas in his mind and is frustrated because he is unable to communicate them. If you have read his novels specially 'The Castle' you would recall the long monologues people get into in trying to understand things - analyzing, assuming, postulating, concluding, than conditioning their own conclusions. Now you may be like this is not how people talk in real life - but that is Kafka's entire point. His Dog complains dogs won't talk, speak out what they all know and hence keep knowledge stays limited. People, Kafka believes, are also like those dogs - they know the things worth talking about (may be he is giving too much credit to us) They may go around gossiping, fighting etc. but won't, perhaps are unable, to talk about real ideas.
hazelnutperson's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
burnsreadsbooks's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
jiorl's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
leika's review
fast-paced
4.0
“If the faint hope that we still possess should give way to complete hopelessness, the attempt is still worth the trial, since you do not desire to live as you are compelled to live”
colewawa's review against another edition
2.0
DNF
It is short, but I never got caught. What at first seemed like an interesting perspective became limiting and to my unstudied sense it lost any insight. The "dog" thinks very circularly and without reason. I haven't dealt with Kafka before but this discourages me from his writings.
It is short, but I never got caught. What at first seemed like an interesting perspective became limiting and to my unstudied sense it lost any insight. The "dog" thinks very circularly and without reason. I haven't dealt with Kafka before but this discourages me from his writings.
evelyn_jung's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know man it was insightful in ways but I feel like a lot of it went over my head and I didn't really get the point. I know it's satirical and illuminates the way humans behave as though they're so superior and disregard other species of animals, but that's all I really got from it. Not my favorite but I didn't think it was bad either. The lack of enthusiasm may also be due to the fact that I'm halfway through the semester and the novelty of studying literature has worn off and I'm just tired and trying to get through midterms. Maybe I'll come back to it later and enjoy it more.