Toward a Minor Literature——On the Contemporary Significance and Causes of Kafkafieber

Franz Kafka was relatively unknown in his lifetime. However, it seems that he is too famous nowadays. Even though it cannot be said that the world has become Kafkaesque,Kafkaesque has become part and parcel of the world. The profoundness, philosophical and prophetic nature of Kafka’s thought, the originality, pioneering and paradox of his artistic expression, as well as the broadness of his works, have made him a focus of academic and research. Kafka is a writer admired by many famous writers who would openly express their zeal for him. Yan Lianke is considered a contemporary Chinese writer who is next to Kafka in terms of creative ideas and techniques. He holds Kafka in high esteem, pointing out that Kafka invented the creative method named zero causality, leading the trend of literary creation in the 20th century. Kafka’s works predict the Kafkaesque era which we live in. Hillis Miller believes that it is imperative to study Kafka’s works and Holocaust fiction in the current era. Those seemingly unrelated details in Kafka’s works are actually delaying the upcoming Holocaust.Kafka’s works represent the dystopian facets of modernity, which are constantly interpreted while resisting interpretation. What’s more, Kafka’s works are also the focus of interest of many thinkers and philosophers. In particular, Walter Benjamin’s interpretation of and study on Kafka influenced many later thinkers, philosophers and writers. Hannah Arendt regards Kafka as a humorist and critic of all realities, while Giorgio Agamben explores and analyzes Kafka’s works in light of an integrated perspective that combines the philosophy of law and linguistics.Kafka’s works have opened a unique door for all readers around the world.