The Castle

Do you think Frieda and K. have any real feelings for each other? Or are they both using the other to get to Klamm? Discuss.

Klamm has hardly been seen by any character in the book, and his very existence is called into question. Do you think Klamm is a real person?

Research the idea of Kafkaesque bureaucracy. How is it presented in this book? Can you give any examples from your own experience? What are the consequences of such power, in the story and in real life?

The story ends mid-sentence. How do you think the sentence and the story should end? Justify your answer.

The Castle was published in 1926, in the aftermath of World War I. To what extent do you think The Castle is a depiction of the bureaucracy present in governments during the interwar period, particularly those of Eastern Europe?

Consider the manner in which The Castle is written. What are the traits of Kafka’s writing here? Why did Kafka choose to write in this way? How does the prose serve or support the story’s central themes?

Some critics have interpreted The Castle as simply a dream sequence or a nightmare scenario. To what extent do you agree with this? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Is K. a hero? Discuss.