We ought to read only the kind of books that wound us. A book should be an iceaxe to break the frozen sea within us. Its especially worthy of praise how the books author developed these two characters who while playing the roles of the good guys are probably the two most morally ambiguous. A book must be an iceaxe to break the seas frozen inside. There is little comfort in knowing there are worse undertakings than killing yourself. I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. The mentioned phrase is from a letter he wrote to oskar pollack, his childhood friend, in 1904. Perhaps this is why he said, while dying, destroy everything. Axe for the frozen sea a book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. Franz kafka, quoted by irina bukova on the occasion of world book and. The quotation a book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside of us. Borrowing its title from this quote, gaute heivolls new book simultaneously indicates the themes of its ten short stories. Kafka says that a book should be an ice ax to break the frozen sea within us. I remember how the ice at the bottom of the world found its way to me, much like a fish that leapt up out of the river and slapped me in the face as if to say, hey, look over here.
Elegy in x parts kafka said, a book by matt rasmussen. What we need are books that hit us like a most painful misfortune, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, that make us feel as though we had been banished to the woods, far from any human presence, like a suicide. Kafka was expressing, in the most extreme form, a favourite idea of. Franz kafkas quote, a book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us, signifies that books have the power to open up a persons emotions and has the power to change our many opinions. Kafka on books and what reading does for the human spirit. The author considers the influence on kafka of the work of men like sigmund freud and soren kierkegaard, and shows with reference to individual works how kafka consciously used the fundamental philosophic statements of these and other authorities in his symbolic novels and stories. Kafka was expressing, in the most extreme form, a favourite idea of literary people. The writing expedition a book must be an ice axe to. A book must be an ice axe to break the frozen sea within us.
The volume of letters includes other, sometimes humorous, insights into. Marvelous like aweinspiring, astonishing, producing a sense of wonder. Franz kafka a book must be the ax for the frozen sea. Franz kafka wrote, a book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. Franz kafka a book must be the axe for the frozen sea. A book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us. By maria popova reading is the work of the alert mind, is demanding, and under ideal conditions produces finally a sort of ecstasy, e.
A book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us. A book must be an iceaxe to break the sea frozen inside us. Kafka said, i think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. Davids brenners personal essay fish eyes broke the sea inside of me. Not maaaarvelous like the caviar at the society gals function. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. Mckelle george a book must be the axe for the frozen. When we read something heart that really hits us from a book it can open our eyes to many. Franz kafka 3 july 1883 3 june 1924 was a germanspeaking bohemian novelist and shortstory writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20thcentury literature. A book is an axe for the frozen sea within us, kafka said, and i hope that is true of the novels ive written.
Kafka knew that our internal life is always frozen to some degree, confined to structure and routine which allows us to live our lives in a structured and routine life. The frozen sea is referring to our hearts, feelings, or our mind and thoughts. But he knew that at some time in our life this frozen sea. Days like this, the right silence can be an action, an axe, right through the frozen sea, as kafka calls for. If the book were reading doesnt wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for. Susan sontag used to say that writing is an instrument that allows us to cry for those that are not us and are not our own, and that ultimately, what lies in reading is freedom. Sara starbuck franz kafka wrote, a book must be the axe. What is the last book you read that had the effect on you that kafka is describing here.
A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. A book must be the ax for the frozen sea within us. Ursulas girls against the atomic bomb in 2003, and recently completed the baby thief. The sentence was written by kafka in an epistle to oskar pollak dated january 27th, 1904. A quote from franz kafka explains that a book should be an item, which releases your creativity, allowing you to think outside the box. The freedom she speaks of could be compared to what franz kafka described as the essence of reading. The actual text of kafkas sentence refers to books, and not to art in general. Ice in the head page 17 a book must be the axe for. Franz kafka wrote that books should affect us as if they were a natural disaster and not. Franz kafka quote at a book must be the ax for the frozen sea within us. These videosexcerpts from the baby thiefwere created and filmed by the talented gianna kiehl, ken french and robin fawcett. What is the context of kafkas quotation a book must be. Ice in the head a book must be the axe for the frozen.
Ironically, i did not feel this way about a few of of kafkas stories, but kept reading anyway. A book must be an iceaxe to break the seas frozen inside our soul. I wont attempt to mimic kafkas description, but i agree that certain books do stir us like a disaster, and to feel that twinge within should be the goal of everyone who ever. Abraham lincoln if one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
Centuries before kafka, and even centuries before christ, one of israels greatest prophets used a similar picture to. White wrote while contemplating the future of reading in 1951. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. Dont despair, not even over the fact that you dont despair. Complement letters to friends, family and editors with the illustrated gem kafka for kids, then revisit maurice sendaks littleknown and lovely posters celebrating books and reading. What is the context of kafkas quotation a book must be the ax for. Reading is the work of the alert mind, is demanding, and under ideal. Because an ice axe is not a tool for breaking sea ice, ive broken sea ice aplenty, and the ice axe is not the tool of choice. As kafka put it, a book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. What does the image of an axe breaking the frozen sea suggest to you. Kafka said, a book must be an axe for the frozen sea inside us, which sounds great, but what good is an axe against a frozen sea. A book should be an ice axe to break the frozen sea. Its a book that, as kafka makes the bold point, was the axe that cut in half, that freed, the frozen sea inside of me. A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us.
The phrase has been quoted by a variety of authors from a variety of disciplines. What proceeds are kafkas thoughts on what makes a good book. But we need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be an axe for the frozen sea inside of us. If the book were reading doesnt wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for. I stacked my fists on the axe handle like jerry had showed me and set my foot at the line. In it, he speaks about a 1,800 page book he had just finished the diaries of german poet christian friedrich hebbel. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us on. If the book we are reading doesnt wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for. Franz kafka books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his arent very new after all. Here the frozen sea is within and without, and involves the political, feminist and trans rights, the apocalyptic, the way in.
I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us. I lifted my arms over my head, leaned back, andi missed. Franz kafka a book should serve as the ax for the frozen. It typically features isolated protagonists facing bizarre or surrealistic predicaments and incomprehensible sociobureaucratic powers. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us franz kafka 20 jan i think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. You fool yourself in the court, said the priest, it talks about this selfdeceit in. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us simon schama, the historian, found himself elated by richard cobb s 1970 book, the police and the people, about the french revolution. Franz kafka a book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.