It is comforting to reflect that the disproportion of things in the world seems to be only arithmetical. Franz Kafka More Quotes by Franz Kafka More Quotes From Franz Kafka Man cannot live without a continuous confidence in something indestructible within himself. Franz Kafka indestructible men Only the moment counts. It determines life. Franz Kafka determine moments A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity. Franz Kafka monsters writing insanity I carry the bars within me. Franz Kafka bars Books are a narcotic. Franz Kafka narcotics health book You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world, that is something you are free to do and it accords with your nature, but perhaps this very holding back is the one suffering you could avoid. Franz Kafka world-suffering health depression I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn't wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? Franz Kafka reading blow book Beyond a certain point there is no return. This point has to be reached. Franz Kafka return certain Everything you say is boring and incomprehensible, but that alone doesn't make it true. Franz Kafka boring Writing [is] a form of prayer. Franz Kafka form prayer writing I dream of a grave, deep and narrow, where we could clasp each other in our arms as with clamps, and I would hide my face in you and you would hide your face in me, and nobody would ever see us any more Franz Kafka arms dream faces A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die. Franz Kafka wish-to-die understanding literature Art is for the artist is only suffering through which he releases himself for further suffering. Franz Kafka release suffering art Everything is deception: seeking the minimum of illusion, keeping within the ordinary limitations, seeking the maximum. In the first case one cheats the Good, by trying to make it too easy for oneself to get it, and the Evil by imposing all too unfavorable conditions of warfare on it. In the second case one cheats the Good by keeping as aloof from it as possible, and the Evil by hoping to make it powerless through intensifying it to the utmost. Franz Kafka deception evil trying Life is merely terrible; I feel it as few others do. Often — and in my inmost self perhaps all the time — I doubt whether I am a human being. Franz Kafka self doubt life-is Adam's first domestic pet after the expulsion from Paradise was the serpent. Franz Kafka paradise pet firsts We were expelled from Paradise, but it was not destroyed. The expulsion from Paradise was in one sense a piece of good fortune, for if we had not been expelled, Paradise would have had to be destroyed. Franz Kafka paradise pieces luck Should I be grateful or should I curse the fact that despite all misfortune I can still feel love, an unearthly love but still for earthly objects. Franz Kafka grateful should facts Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself. Franz Kafka being-alone loneliness writing First impressions are always unreliable. Franz Kafka first-impression impression firsts