قصة الكتاب :
The Castle is a novel by Franz Kafka that was published posthumously in 1926. It was first published in German as Das Schloss. Kafka began writing the novel when he had a nervous breakdown and went away to Prague to recuperate. He started writing in January 1922 and intensely worked on it until September, but never got around to completing it. It is unclear whether Kafka had any intention of concluding the story he created; which centers around two main characters – one of which is the protagonist simply called K. and the other, the castle that dominates the village setting into which K. steps in. The nature of the plot is dark and often unreal. It deals with alienation, unresponsive bureaucracy and the frustrations encountered by the common man as he attempts to conduct affairs in a non-transparent environment. \r\n
\r\nThe story starts with K. stepping into an unnamed village in the middle of a snowy winter as a land surveyor. The village lies in the shadow of a looming castle. K. arrives as a land surveyor and checks into an inn, which is not very welcoming. He is told that he needs a pass to be there and to check this they call up the Castle. This sets the tone for the entire story. K. has been hired by the Castle and seeks an audience with anyone in there to clearly understand his role, something he is never able to satisfactorily do. The novel details the countless conversations K. has with the different personalities at the village. K. asks every one of them to help him meet anyone of importance at the Castle but their replies are so twisted and confusing that K. never makes it even close to the Castle, and the story stops midway. Along the way, K. also meets a few women with whom he has immediate intimate encounters. His obsession with the quest remains the highlight of the novel. It’s a process that leaves him wanting, humiliated and worn down.\r\n
\r\nThe book, like Kafka’s other works, reflects several of his world views. One is that irrespective of how impressive things appear to be initially, they are always disappointing. This downward trend characterizes most of his writing. Another feature of the story is that it is packed with different characters who are intricately connected. It is evident that the book is a satire on modern bureaucracy and their mode of governance. The surreal part of the plot is the relationship between the people and the Castle. There seem to be an entire lot of vague instructions, of which nothing is written down. None of the communication is direct or clear yet the villagers follow instructions without question. In conveying this sense of frustration to the readers at the villagers’ lack of challenging the status quo, Kafka succeeds brilliantly. The Castle puts the question of meaning within a social context, where it truly belongs. \r\n