The story says that Franz Kafka encountered a little girl in the park where he went walking daily. She was crying. She had lost her doll and was desolate.
Kafka offered to help her look for the doll and arranged to meet her the next day at the same spot. Unable to find the doll, he composed a letter from the doll and read it to her when they met.
“Please do not mourn me, I have gone on a trip to see the world. I will write you of my adventures.” This was the beginning of many letters. When he and the little girl met, he read her from these carefully composed letters the imagined adventures of the beloved doll, and the little girl was very happy with that.
When the meetings came to an end, Kafka presented her with a doll. She obviously looked different from the original doll. An attached letter explained: “my travels have changed me...“
Many years later, the now grown girl found a letter stuffed into an unnoticed crevice in the cherished replacement doll. In summary it said: “Every thing that you love, you will eventually lose. But in the end, love will return in a different form.”
This is from a novel by Paul Auster, entitled: the Brooklyn Follies. Probably this never happened to Franz Kafka... but that doesn't mean the story is less great ;)
Thanks for reading,
have a nice weekend!
Comments
aww.. that's nice
This story is very interesting, meaningful and inspiring!
But if it is true, than I wonder, how and what Kafka was thinking about, when he decided to compose the first letter. I mean, it is not something usual. Just imagine yourself in this situation. Would you do the same?
And for that girl, he might've looked different than other people. He might've looked like something supernatural... like a real human.
Thank you, Mary!
Have a magni...'cake'...nt weekend!
@Rosemary, that's nice! ^_^ I've just read few passages of some texts by Paul Auster, but I've never read any of his books yet. He's a very popular writer and I like the few stuff i've read by him; but anyway... who I really like and is related to this short story is Franz Kafka; he's one of my faves :))
Thank dear Mary I have searched for Paul Auster after reading your blog :)
@Thanks Rosemary! You're one of our best bookworms here and I post this 'reading-club' blogs thinkin' about members like you :)
@Rose, it's nice to see you back again, even if it's not so often as before. Thanks for takin' a bit of your time to drop by! :)
@Olga, yeah, that's a nice line. It's a very effective literary trick to finish with a good colophon ;)
Thanks for reading!
@bet, I'm glad you liked it, thanks for dropping by!
@Oporazita! How nice to see you around :))) Thanks for reading!
Thank you all my lovely EC bookworms! ;)
Thank you Mary....:)
Wao......what a lesson! I am impressed by your this blog!
What a great and touching story! Franz Kafka was able to soften the girl's bad experience. I loved reading. Thanks Mary.
It's a wonderful and a deep story :) thanks for sharing