Writing as Evil Nuno Amado

Abstract In July 1922, Franz Kafka writes a letter to Max Brod. After saying t at writing sustains is life, e !lai"s t at it is also a #sweet and wonderful reward for ser$ing t e de$il%. & is "eans Kafka !onsidered i"self a Faust'like figure, and t at e so"e ow traded is life for t e a(ility of writing. It follows fro" t is !o")arison t at e "ust a$e (een da"ned in so"e "anner. Kafka*s da"nation, I will argue, !onsisted in w at e !alled is #irre$o!a(le $o!ation%, t e ines!a)a(le ne!essity of writing. In t at sense, Kafka*s writing was t us si"ultaneously an intrinsi! e$il and t e "ost gratifying of rewards. & is Faustian nature of Kafka*s relations i) wit writing, w i! !riti!is" usually negle!ts, is )resent t roug out is work. +$iden!e for t is "ay (e found in Kafka*s diaries and letters, (ut t is )e!uliar nature is also "anifest in s ort stories su! as #& e Burrow%, w i! t is )resentation will !o""ent. & is narrati$e )ortrays t e )ro,e!t of an indestru!ti(le (urrow w ere t e story*s "ain ! ara!ter !ould li$e indefinitely -a re)resentation of t at w i! we !annot es!a)e and, at t e sa"e ti"e, a reward for itself.. & us inter)reted as an allegory for Kafka*s dile""a a(out writing, #& e Burrow% dis)lays, I will finally !lai", t e da"nation of a !reature w ose only )leasure was also t e sour!e of is in(orn wi!kedness. Key Words: Kafka, writing, Faust, e$il, reward, (urrow, addi!tion. ***** In July 1922, Franz Kafka !onsidered $isiting is friend /skar Bau" in 0eorgental1. A)art fro" t e o))ortunity of seeing is friend, e wis ed to go in order to ! allenge a !ertain fear. 1is fear, to (e onest, was 2a orri(le fear of t e ,ourney*, of 2e$ery ! ange*, of setting 2off freely wit one*s luggage under t e $ast sky to t e railway station*. 3es)ite t is, e s ould tra$el, or e 2would !o")letely unlearn ow to li$e.*2 & e day after Kafka !onfir"ed e was going, owe$er, e sent a telegra" to /skar Bau", in w i! e !an!eled t e tri). & e sa"e day, e wrote a letter to Max Brod, is friend and editor, ,ustifying is reasons for not going. /n!e again e "entioned 2a fear of ! ange, a fear of attra!ting t e attention of t e gods.*4 But e also ex)lained to Max Brod t at, after writing t e letter to /skar Bau" saying e would go to 0eorgental, it (e!a"e !lear to i" t at e li$ed 2o$er a darkness fro" w i! t e dark )owers e"erges w en it wills.* 5 & is darkness, as I will later s ow, is "erely a sy")to" of a larger da"nation, one t at

Writing as Evil

__________________________________________________________________ !onsists ! iefly in an ines!a)a(le ne!essity of writing. 26riting sustains "e*, Kafka !ontinues in is letter. If e !ouldn*t write, e !ouldn*t sustain i"self, is life would (e 2"u! worse t en and w olly un(eara(le*, sin!e, as e says, a 2nonwriting writer is a "onster in$iting "adness.*7 & e gra$ity wit w i! Kafka des!ri(es is duty as a writer is re!urrent t roug out is diaries and letters. /(ser$e t e following exa")les. &o Max Brod, Kafka !lai"s t at, alt oug is writing is not as good as it s ould, e 2!annot sto) writing.*8 &o Feli!e Bauer, t e wo"an wit w o" e was twi!e engaged, e writes t at e is 2"ade of literature.*9 &o Feli!e*s fat er, Kafka de!lares t at writing is a 2 ig er ne!essity*, an 2irre$o!a(le $o!ation*, and t at all is (eing is 2dire!ted towards literature.*: In is diaries, e !onfesses t at 2"y a))iness, "y a(ilities, and e$ery )ossi(ility of (eing useful in any way a$e always (een in t e literary field.*9 ;in!e writing, as seen, was su! an indis)ensa(le )art of Kafka*s life, not to write s ould a$e de$astating !onse<uen!es. & at*s w y t e ina(ility to write is )ortrayed as 2a "onster in$iting "adness*, and also w y e (elie$ed writing sustained is life. /nly (y writing !ould e )ut an end to t e 2dark )owers* w i! !ould destroy i". =nder su! a des!ri)tion, writing see"s to (e like a drug> (eing addi!ted to it, Kafka ad to !onsu"e it in order to satisfy its urge. 2But w at a(out (eing a writer itself?*, Kafka asks i"self r etori!ally in t e a(o$e"entioned letter to Max Brod, to w i! e answers i""ediately> 2in t e nig t it (e!a"e !lear to "e, as !lear as a ! ild*s lesson (ook, t at it is t e reward for ser$ing t e de$il.* 1@ Being drawn towards writing, Kafka gradually (e!a"e intoxi!ated (y it, and alt oug e was for!ed to write relentlessly, writing was itself a )leasant t ing. 0i$en t at it )leased i", it s ould (e seen not only as a ne!essity, (ut as 2a sweet and wonderful reward* for is de)enden!e u)on it as well, 2a reward for ser$ing t e de$il*, as e de!lares. & is "eans Kafka was so"e kind of Faust, and t at t e a(ility of writing was t e elixir of life e as traded i"self for. In is diaries e on!e wrote t e following> 6 en it (e!a"e !lear in "y organis" t at writing was t e "ost )rodu!ti$e dire!tion for "y (eing to take, e$eryt ing rus ed in t at dire!tion and left e")ty all t ose a(ilities w i! were dire!ted towards t e ,oy of sex, eating, drinking, ) iloso) i!al refle!tion, and a(o$e all "usi!. I atro) ied in all t ese dire!tions.11 & is generalized atro) y was t e result of is addi!tion to writing, an addi!tion w i! !a"e wit t e deal "ade wit t e de$il, and w i! was t e reason for is da"nation, (ut also t e only )ossi(le reward for it. If t is is so, Kafka was afraid of tra$elling due to t e fa!t t at t e deal e ad "ade wit t e de$il entails i" to write in!essantly. A!tually, e see"s to go along wit t is in t e end of is letter>

Nuno Amado

__________________________________________________________________ -A. "y fear of t e ,ourney is )artly !o")ounded (y t e t oug t t at I will (e ke)t away fro" t e desk for at least se$eral days. -A. t e existen!e of t e writer is truly de)endent u)on is desk and if e wants to kee) "adness at (ay e "ust ne$er go far fro" is desk, e "ust old on to it wit is teet .12 Booking into Kafka*s diaries and letters, w ere e wrote t oroug ly a(out is literary skills, we "ay easily (e!o"e a!<uainted wit t is )e!uliar Faustian nature. Alt oug !riti!is" usually negle!ts su! de$ilis nature, I !lai" t at it is an i")ortant feature of Kafka*s literary work. In order to ex)lain it, I will analyze one of is last s ort stories. Allow "e to su""arize its )lot. 2& e Burrow*14 tells t e story of an unna"ed underground !reature w o li$es alone in is (urrow, w i! is e$eryt ing e as and e$eryt ing e is. & e )rote!tion of is lair, and t e )leasant kind of life it allows i" to li$e, are all t at "atters to i". & e )ro(le", as I will s ow, was t at e !ouldn*t a$e (ot at t e sa"e ti"e. +$en t oug t is (urrow ad only one entran!e, strategi!ally !o$ered (y a "o$a(le layer of "oss, t e !reature !ould 2s!ar!ely )ass an our in tran<uility,*15 and felt !onstantly $ulnera(le. 1e !ouldn*t a$e !losed t at entran!e (e!ause e also felt t reatened (y internal ene"ies, and so e needed to know t at 2so"ew ere t ere is an exit easy to rea! and <uite free, w ere I a$e to do not ing w ate$er to get out.*17 & e (urrow !ontained 2"ore t an fifty roo"s*, )assages e ad widened 2into little round !ells*, and at its !ore, !arefully ! osen to ser$e as a refuge, lied t e ! ief !ell, w i! e !alled 2Castle Kee).*18 3efensi$e "easures see" to (e t e ! ief !riteria of t e (uilding )lans. ;o"eti"es, (e!ause t ey were also el)ful to regain is !o")osure after a!knowledging all of t e (urrow*s weaknesses, e !arries out so"e i")ro$e"ents, and e fre<uently lea$es t e (urrow in order to exa"ine it fro" t e outside. At su! ti"es, e feels as if e was 2not so "u! looking at "y ouse as at "yself slee)ing, and ad t e ,oy of (eing in a )rofound slu"(er and si"ultaneously of kee)ing $igilant guard o$er "yself.*19 ;oon, owe$er, e understands ow useless su! endea$ors are, for it gi$es i" only 2false reassuran!e* and "akes i" 2o)en to great )erils>*1: w ile e was wat! ing is (urrow, so"e !reature !ould (e wat! ing i". 6 en e a!knowledges it, e returns to t e (urrow, knowing t at 2t is freedo" to sli) out and in at will* was only 2t e "ark of a restless nature, of inner un!ertainty, disre)uta(le desires, e$il )ro)ensities.*19 As e )uts it, is (urrow )ro$ided i" 2a !onsidera(le degree of se!urity, (ut (y no "eans enoug .*2@ De$ert eless, t e (urrow was 2not a "ere ole to take refuge inE* it was also a )la!e w ere one !ould 2stret! oneself out in !o"fort, roll a(out in ! ildis delig t, lie and drea", or sink into (lissful slee).*21 Inside t e (urrow, e didn*t really t ink a(out is safety and e always ad endless ti"e. & e "ost (eautiful

Writing as Evil

__________________________________________________________________ t ing a(out is (urrow was t e stillness it ga$e i", and e ad (uilt it wit t at in "ind as well, for 2e$ery undred yards*, as e !onfesses, e ad 2widened t e )assages into little round !ells* w ere e !ould !url i"self u) 2in !o"fort and lie war"*, and w ere e sle)t 2t e sweet slee) of tran<uility, of satisfied desire, of a! ie$ed a"(ition.*22 Furt er"ore, t e ne!essity of (uilding it as a )rote!tion was not in is "ind sin!e t e (eginning, so"et ing a(out w i! e kee)s !o")laining. Alt oug 2& e Burrow* is an unfinis ed story, I (elie$e it !an easily (e di$ided in two al$es. In t e first one we are gi$en t e (urrow*s des!ri)tion, ow it was (uilt, w at for, and w y its owner usually felt t e need to go out. & e se!ond alf starts i""ediately after t e !reature !o"es inside t e (urrow again. 1e ad (een slee)ing for a w ile, resting inside one of is roo"s, and e is awaken (y an 2al"ost inaudi(le w istling noise.*24 Fro" t is )oint until t e end of t e story, e will (e dealing wit t is noise> e tries to sear! for its origins, "akes t eories a(out its !auses, and dedi!ates all is efforts to "itigate it. As ti"e goes (y, not (eing a(le to find anyt ing, e senses t e noise (e!o"ing louder. Der$ousness and fear (e!o"e ig er t an (eforeE o)elessness o$er)owers is "ind. 1e t en starts (elie$ing t at so"e (east is )rodu!ing t e noise digging underground in is dire!tion, a (elief wit w i! t e story ends. & is terrifying (elief "akes i" finally !on!lude t at e ad (een s)oiled (y 2t e ,oy of )ossessing*25 t e (urrow, and t at e adn*t done e$eryt ing e !ould to )re)are i"self for t e )ossi(ility of an atta!k like t is. 1e sadly understands now t at 2t e $ulnera(ility of t e (urrow* as "ade i" $ulnera(le, t at 2instead of t inking only* of is own defense e 2s ould a$e t oug t of t e defense of t e (urrow,* and e feels as a"ed t at e as "ade 2not t e slig test atte")t to !arry out su! a )lan,* t at e as 2(een as t oug tless as ! ild,* doing 2not ing (ut )lay e$en wit t e t oug t of danger.*27 As I "entioned (efore, t e (urrow*s )ro,e!t s ould )ro$ide two in!o")ati(le t ings at t e sa"e ti"e. It s ould endow its owner wit )rote!tion, (ut also )ro$ide !o"fort, 2! ildis delig t*, 2(lissful slee)*, stillness. 6 ile en,oying t e )leasant and <uiet style of life t e (urrow )ro$ided i", e !ouldn*t (e )rote!ting itE w ile )rote!ting it, e !ould not en,oy it. & is is t e reason w y t e (urrow stands for its owner as writing stands for KafkaE it is is lair, is )rote!tion, a (uilding "ade to sustain is life, (ut also is )ri$ate )layground, t e 2sweet and wonderful reward for ser$ing t e de$il*. Bike t e !reature t at !ould not )rote!t t e (urrow w ile en,oying it, and en,oy it w ile )rote!ting it, Kafka !ould not write to sustain is life w ile en,oying writing, and !ould not en,oy it w ile writing to sustain it. & is in!o")ati(ility is !learly sket! ed at least twi!e in t e story> w en t e !reature goes outside to wat! t e (urrow*s entran!e, and in t e final disa))oint"ent. In t e first des!ri)tion, t e "ain )ro(le" was t at w ile wat! ing it fro" t e outside, t e (urrow !ould (e )rote!ted, (ut t e !reature was not. & erefore, w ile outside working in its (urrow*s )rote!tion, t e !reature was at danger and e$en de)ri$ed fro" taking )leasure wit in. /ne solution to t is

Nuno Amado

__________________________________________________________________ )ro(le", as t e !reature wonders, would (e to entrust so"eone wit t e wat! of is (urrow*s entran!e. & is would "ake i" en,oy is (urrow wit out worrying a(out its )rote!tion. But anot er )ro(le" i""ediately arises, for is !onfidant !ould t en de"and to see t e (urrow, so"et ing t at would (e )ainful to i", sin!e, as e says, 2I (uilt it for "yself, not for $isitors.*28 & is is, I (elie$e, a su(tle referen!e to "arriage, so"et ing w i! (ot ered Kafka a lot t roug out is life. In order to enlig ten t is idea, so"e of t e letters e wrote to Milena JesenskF29 are $ery interesting. In one of t ese, Kafka des!ri(es i"self as an 2old "ole* w i! as ,oyfully 2(urrowed* a 2straig t tunnel leading*2: to Milena. In anot er letter, trying to ex)lain w at is fears are, e !onfesses t at is life !onsisted in a 2su(terranean t reat.*29 Finally, in a long one, e says t at, alt oug e was 2an ani"al of t e forest*, w en e "et er 2 e forgot e$eryt ing entirely*, and felt 2so a))y, so )roud, so free, so )owerful, so at o"e*. 1owe$er, t is ine(riant sensation !ould not last> e ad soon realized t e e 2was still only an ani"al, (elonged still only in t e forest*, and 2 ad to return to t e darkness* (e!ause e 2!ouldn*t stand t e sun.*4@ Marriage wit Milena, like t e !reature*s outside $igilan!e, would gi$e Kafka, a "ere 2ani"al of t e forest*, so"e reassuran!e. /n t e ot er and, e 2was still only an ani"al*, and is fears de"anded i" 2to return to t e darkness*. &o (e outside is (urrow, t at is to say, to li$e outside t e do"ain of writing, was only a 2false reassuran!e,*41 and !ould not (e sustained. & e se!ond e$ent I a$e )ro"ised to dis!uss is related to t e re!klessness wit w i! , at t e end of t e story, e ex)lains is i")ending defeat. & is re!klessness, owe$er, was a ne!essary one, sin!e t e (urrow was "eant to offer i" not only )rote!tion (ut also )leasure and !o"fort. ;ee ow e des!ri(es, for instan!e, one of t e )lans e t oug t out in is yout w i! e regrets e didn*t !arry out> /ne of t ese fa$orite )lans of "ine was to isolate t e Castle Kee) fro" its surroundings, t at is to say, to restri!t t e t i!kness of its walls to a(out "y own eig t, and lea$e a free s)a!e of a(out t e sa"e widt all around t e Castle Kee), ex!e)t for a narrow foundation, w i! unfortunately would a$e to (e left to (ear u) t e w ole. I ad always )i!tured t is free s)a!e, and not wit out reason, as t e lo$eliest i"agina(le aunt. 6 at a ,oy to lie )ressed against t e rounded outer wall, )ull oneself u), let oneself slide down again, "iss one*s footing and find oneself on fir" eart , and )lay all t ose ga"es literally u)on t e Castle Kee) and not inside itE to a$oid t e Castle Kee), to rest one*s eyes fro" it w ene$er one wanted, to )ost)one t e ,oy of seeing it until later and yet not a$e

Writing as Evil

__________________________________________________________________ to do wit out it, (ut literally old it safe (etween one*s !laws, a t ing t at is i")ossi(le if you a$e only an ordinary o)en entran!e to itE (ut a(o$e all to (e a(le to stand guard o$er it, and in t at way to (e so !o")letely !o")ensated for renoun!ing t e a!tual sig t of it.42 As t e des!ri)tion of t is defensi$e )lan "akes !lear, t e "ost wonderful !ir!u"stan!es would (e t ose w i! allowed i" to kee) guard o$er is (urrow wit out !o")ro"ising is freedo". & oug a )lan )ri"arily !on!erned wit )rote!tion, its !onse<uen!es would t en (e not only a )erfe!t state of safety, (ut also so"e fun. Grote!tion and )leasure were not disso!ia(le. I a$e started t is essay wit t e e)isode of t e !an!eled tri) to 0eorgental in order to introdu!e t e Faustian nature of Kafka*s writing, and to ,ustify t e s ort story*s analysis. But at t e sa"e ti"e, I (elie$e t is story as so"et ing to do wit t at !an!eled tri). An a"azing )ie!e of e$iden!e is t e (eginning of a letter written to Max Brod, one week after e ad de!ided not to go> 2I a$e (een das ing a(out or sitting as )etrified as a des)erate ani"al in is (urrow. +ne"ies e$eryw ere.* 44 & e 2ene"ies* referred (y Kafka were grou)s of ! ildren "aking noise outside is roo", w i! distur(ed is )ea!e and ke)t i" away fro" is desk. &wo "ont s (efore, in anot er letter, e ad already !onfessed t e need to )rote!t writing fro" outer ene"ies> & is writing is t e "ost i")ortant t ing in t e world to "e -A. H t e way is delusion is i")ortant to t e "ad"an -A. or t e way er )regnan!y is i")ortant to a wo"an. -A. And so wit tre"(ling fear I )rote!t writing fro" e$ery distur(an!e, and not t e writing alone, (ut t e solitude t at is )art of it.*45 & e need to )rote!t writing and 2t e solitude t at is )art of it* o)enly rese"(les t e !reature*s need to )rote!t t e (urrow and its stillness. & en, in ;e)te"(er, in anot er letter, Kafka says t at loneliness was is 2sole ai"*, is 2greatest te")tation*, and t at, alt oug e was frig tened (y it, e ad arranged is life 2always wit t e $iew t at loneliness !an !o"forta(ly fit into it.*47 /n!e again, Kafka*s !on!erns wit writing are in!redi(ly si"ilar wit t ose of t e !reature in 2& e Burrow*. My o)inion is t at, des)ite Kafka wrote 2& e Burrow* only (y t e end of 1924, t e story started (eing "anufa!tured in is "ind "u! earlier. Gre$iously, I a$e suggested t at Kafka feared tra$eling (e!ause e needed to write wit out sto))ing. & is ines!a)a(le ne!essity of writing )rodu!ed is fear of (eing una(le to write -w i! tra$eling would !ertainly e") asize., (ut also fear of (e!o"ing e$en "ore $ulnera(le to t e atta!ks of is inner darkness -w i! not tra$eling would t en )ro"ote..&o Kafka, going to 0eorgental was like going

Nuno Amado

__________________________________________________________________ outside is (urrow in order to )rote!t it, w ile not tra$elling was to re"ain inside, fearing so"e unknown (east digging towards is (urrow. 2& e Burrow* "ay (e t us )er!ei$ed as one of t e "ost auto(iogra) i!al stories Kafka e$er wrote> it is ! iefly a(out ow e failed to a!!o")lis is w oleso"e literary )lans, and a(out is )e!uliar Faustian nature. & e !reature of t e story, an 2old ar! ite!t,*48 as e de!lares i"self to (e, is Kafka*s de$ilis nature, a nature da"ned (y t e addi!tion to writing. & e (urrow is t e t ing e "ost !ares a(out, is t e uto)ian retreat w ere t is Faustian kind of writing !ould effe!ti$ely (e done. Kafka*s in(orn wi!kedness, as I tried to s ow, "ade su! a retreat unfeasi(le. 26riting is el)less, !annot li$e in itself, is a ,oke and a des)air,*49 says Kafka in is diaries. Indeed, writing was for Kafka an e$il )ro)ensity. As e !onfesses to Feli!e in Fe(ruary 1914, so"e ow )redi!ting, ten years in ad$an!e, in w i! "anner e would des!ri(e is writing as e$il, is useless life !ould a! ie$e 2no "ore t an to run around an enor"ous ole and to guard it.* 4: ;u! a trifle was e$eryt ing e !ould a$e done. And yet, w at an 2enor"ous ole* it was.

Notes

1 2

At t e ti"e, Kafka was li$ing wit is sister /ttla in GlanF, west fro" Grague. 0eorgental is in Central 0er"any. Franz Kafka, Letters to Friends, Family, and Editors, trans. Ii! ard and Clara 6inston -Dew Jork> ;! o!ken, 1999., 442. 4 I(id., 444. 5 I(id. 7 I(id. 8 I(id., :1. 9 Franz Kafka, Letters to Felice, ed. +ri! 1eller and JurgenBo" -Bondon> Kintage, 1999., 451. : I(id., 472. 9 Franz Kafka, The Diaries of Franz Kaf a! "#"$%"#&', ed. Max Brod -Bondon> Genguin, 1985., 5:. 1@ Kafka, Letters to Friends, 444. 11 Kafka, Diaries, 184. 12 Kafka, Letters to Friends, 447. 14 Kafka wrote 2& e Burrow* in t e last "ont s of 1924, less t an a year (efore is deat , and "ore or less one year and a alf after t e !an!eled tri) to 0eorgental. 15 Franz Kafka, The (om)lete *hort *tories, ed. Da u" D. 0latzer -Bondon> Kintage, 1999., 427. 17 I(id., 428. 18 I(id., 429. 19 I(id., 445. 1: I(id., 447. 19 I(id., 449. 2@ I(id. 21 I(id., 45@. 22 I(id., 429. 24 I(id., 454. 25 I(id., 477. 27 I(id. 28 I(id., 44:. 29 Kafka !orres)onded wit Milena JesenskF, a "arried wo"an e "et and wit w o" e was in lo$e, (etween /!to(er 1919 and June 1924. 2: Franz Kafka, Letters to +ilena, ed. 6illy 1aas -Bondon> Kintage, 1999., 12@. 29 I(id., 18@. 4@ I(id., 17:. 41 Kafka, *hort *tories, 447. 42 I(id., 458. 44 Kafka, Letters to Friends, 44:. 45 I(id., 424. 47 I(id., 479. 48 I(id., 479. 49 Kafka, Diaries, 49:. 4: Kafka, Letters to Felice, 229.

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