Kafka and the Traveling Doll : Book Review

 

Book Review

Title: Kafka and the Travelling Doll
Author: Jordi Sierra I Fabra
Genre: Fiction

It is said that a year before Franz kafka's death, he stumbled upon a girl named Elsi in a park in Berlin. Elsi had lost her doll Brigett. .Moved by her tears, Kafka introduces himself as a postman who delivers letters to children. He embarks on an expedition to write a letter to Elsi from Brigett. What starts off as a letter, eventually leads to a series of the same. This mission is a transformational journey for Kafka both as a person and writer, as he gains a new found purpose and vigor during the last few months of his life. 

The book captures Franz Kafka's dilemma of wanting to please the little girl. At the same time, it raises certain concerns about the repercussions of his actions on the girl.  His motive to see the girl's happiness depicts a certain kindness that lies beneath that eccentric exterior of his. Kafka's brilliance in his imagination and lyrical style is seen in the letters that he writes to the girl from her doll. It transports the readers to places around the globe including London, Paris, Vienna and Tanzania. In a way, Kafka creates an imaginary world, traversing into the realm of another reality. 

This endearing fable imparts a profound message of growing up, saying goodbyes, moving on and embarking on a new beginning. Along with spurts of philosophy, the writings capture the emotions of the girl and the author, making it a tear jerker. Change is clearly the major theme here. The story also addresses the nuances of fears and freedom.  The emotions evoked in the reader can be compared to the emotions experienced while reading Rabindranath Tagore's 'Kabuliwala', where change, farewells, new beginnings are some themes in the story. 

Kafka and the Travelling Doll is a profound and a heartwarming read that leaves you with moist eyes. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

The Chennai resistance

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=3cd78548-4240-47c3-a608-8432df372190 Mentality of a Chennaite is something that never fails to amaze me and other people of different cities. This city has a rich cultural heritage and people indeed try their best to preserve it as much as possible. However in spite of globalization descending upon them, with BPOs lurking at every corner, with the Burgers and pizzas invading their eateries, the typical chennaite will go by his time tested staple food. Times have changed, and Chennai itself is now invaded by population from other cities not only in India but form the world, thanks to the IT boom and the automobile hub centre that it has become. One can see the metamorphosis almost everywhere; old buildings have given way to modern architecture, arterial roads choked to the brim with modern vehicles, individual bungalows replaced by the apartments. Only the age old temples have withstood this onslaught, but they too
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more