Investigations of a Dog

Description

Franz Kafka’s book, *Investigations of a Dog*, is a poignant exploration of the complexities of human life. Like *The Metamorphosis*, *The Colony*, *The Trial*, and virtually all of Kafka’s works, it confronts a pervasive anxiety and a looming dread that neither dissipates nor descends to bring an end to a world steeped in terror. This dread manifests as a devastating clash, almost tearing the world apart, as seen in the music’s attack on the puppy in *Investigations*, nearly killing it. With remarkable simplicity, as Lukács observed, Kafka encapsulates the organic aspects of human life, represented by food, and the spiritual aspects, represented by music. He guides us through his experiences in invoking both. In his diaries, written a few years after the publication of *Investigations*, Kafka states that he finds happiness only when he can elevate the world to purity, truth, and the immutable.