The Castle (Penguin Modern Classics)

by Franz Kafka

But there are great obstacles in the world, they become greater the greater your goals, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in making sure you have the help of a man who may be small and uninfluential, but is none the less ready to fight.

facts are facts, which is very sad for me but also advantageous, since an ignorant man will dare to do more, so I will happily go about in my ignorance with what I am sure are its unfortunate consequences for a little longer, as long as my strength allows.

‘The only reason why it entertains me,’ said K., ‘is the insight it gives me into the ridiculous confusion which, in some circumstances, can determine the course of a man’s life.’

It is a working principle of the authorities that they do not even consider the possibility of mistakes being made.

Awe of the authorities is innate in all of you here, and then it is also dinned into you throughout your lives in all manner of different ways and from all sides, and you your-selves add to it as best you can.

You can encourage someone with his eyes blind-folded to see through the blindfold as much as you like, he’ll still never see a thing.

‘there’s something of the air breathed in Paradise before the Fall’ ( Letters to Milena (New York: Schocken, 1990 ), 148 ).