Critical response Critical interpretations The poet W. H. Auden called Kafka "the Dante of the twentieth century"; the novelist Vladimir Nabokov placed him among the greatest writers of the 20th century. Gabriel García Márquez noted the reading of Kafka's The Metamorphosis showed him "that it was possible to write in a different way". A prominent theme of Kafka's work, first established in the short story "Das Urteil", is father–son conflict: the guilt induced in the son is resolved through suffering and atonement. Other prominent themes and archetypes include alienation, physical and psychological brutality, characters on a terrifying quest, and mystical transformation.
critical response critical interpretations the poet w h auden called kafka "the dante of the twentieth century"; the novelist vladimir nabokov placed him among the greatest writers of the 20th century gabriel garcía márquez noted the reading of kafka's the metamorphosis showed him "that it was possible to write in a different way" a prominent theme of kafka's work first established in the short story "das urteil" is father–son conflict the guilt induced in the son is resolved through suffering and atonement other prominent themes and archetypes include alienation physical and psychological brutality characters on a terrifying quest and mystical transformation