Description of a Struggle Quotes

“What is it that makes you all behave as though you were real? Are you trying to make me believe I'm unreal, standing here absurdly on the green pavement? You, sky, surely it's a long time since you've been real, and as for you, Ringplatz, you never have been real.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“There's no doubt, sir, that for you the truth is too tiring. Just look at yourself! The entire length of you is cut out of tissue paper, yellow tissue paper, like a silhouette, and when you walk one ought to hear you rustle. So one shouldn't get annoyed at your attitude or opinion, for you can't help bending to whatever draft happens to be in the room.'

"'I don't understand that. True, several people are standing about here in this room. They lay their arms on the backs of chairs or they lean against the piano or they raise a glass tentatively to their mouths or they walk timidly into the next room, and having knocked their right shoulders against a cupboard in the dark, they stand breathing by the open window and think: There's Venus, the evening star. Yet here I am, among them. If there is a connection, I don't understand it. But I don't even know if there is a connection. — And you see, dear Fräulein, of all these people who behave so irresolutely, so absurdly as a result of their confusion, I alone seem worthy of hearing the truth about myself. And to make this truth more palatable you put it in a mocking way so that something concrete remains, like the outer walls of a house whose interior has been gutted. The eye is hardly obstructed; by day the clouds and sky can be seen through the great window holes, and by night the stars. But the clouds are often hewn out of gray stones, and the stars form unnatural constellations. — How would it be if in return I were to tell you that one day everyone wanting to live will look like me — cut out of tissue paper, like silhouettes, as you pointed out — and when they walk they will be heard to rustle? Not that they will be any different from what they are now, but that is what they will look like. Even you, dear Fräulein —”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“Nous construisons en fait d'inutilisables machines de guerre, des tours, des murailles, des rideaux de soie, et nous pourrions nous en étonner fort, si nous avions le temps. Et nous nous maintenons en suspens, nous ne tombons pas, nous voletons, bien que nous soyons plus laids que des chauves-souris. Et déjà c'est à peine si quelqu'un peut nous empêcher de dire, par une belle journée : "Mon Dieu, que nous avons une belle journée.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“I dug my feet into the shadow and said kindly: 'You don't have to be comforted. After all, you're being loved.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“And now I shouted: "Out with your stories! I no longer want to hear scraps. Tell me everything, from beginning to end. I won't listen to less, I warn you! But I'm burning to hear the whole thing."

When he looked at me I stopped shouting so loud.

"And you can count on my discretion! Tell me everything that's on your mind. You've never had so discreet a listener as I."

And rather low, close to his ear, I said: "And you don't need to be afraid of me, that's quite unnecessary."

I heard him laugh.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“لا يمكنني أن أتكلم عن السماء المشرقة وأنا أقف في عمق الدهليز.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“أبلُغ من العمر اثنين وثلاثين عامًا ولا أعرف اسمي بعد.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“Because of the cold blowing up from the water, I put on my gloves, sighed for no good reason, as one is inclined to do at night beside a river, but then I wanted to walk on.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“Oh well, memories," said I. "Yes, even remembering in itself is sad, yet how much more its object! Don't let yourself in for things like that, it's not for you and not for me. It only weakens one's present position without strengthening the former one — nothing is more obvious — quite apart from the fact that the former one doesn't need strengthening. Do you think I have no memories? Oh, ten for every one of yours.”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle

“God, how much more profitable it would be if the Thinker could learn from the Drunk!”
― Franz Kafka, Description of a Struggle