The door could not be heard closing; they must have left it open as is usual in houses visited by great misfortune.
Life is hard, the earth stubborn, science rich in knowledge but poor in practical results.
After all, one does not laugh at senator’s nephew at the first opportunity that presents itself.
I have now, and have had since this afternoon, a great yearning to write all of my anxiety entirely out of me.
For a man under suspicion movement is better than rest, for the man who is at rest can always, without knowing it, be on the scales being weighed together with his sins.
No one sings as purely as those who inhabit the deepest hell – what we take to be the song of angels is their song.
For I underestimate myself, and that itself means an overestimation of others.
One does not have to believe everything is true, one only has to believe it is necessary.
One morning Gregor Samsa found himself, in bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.
Whatever he may seem to us, he is yet a servant of the Law; that is, he belongs to the Law and as such is set beyond human judgment.
The conclusion to be drawn from this was that this was in its way a quite different sort of fatigue from K.‘s. Here it was doubtless fatigue amid happy work, something that outwardly looked like fatigue and was actually indestructible repose, indestructible peace. If one is a little tired at noon, that is part of the happy natural course of the day. ‘For the gentlemen here it is always noon,’ K. said to himself.
And it really was kind of the moon to shine on me, too, and out of modesty I was about to place myself under the arch of the tower bridge when it occurred to me that the moon, of course, shone on everything. So I happily spread out my arms in order fully to enjoy the moon.
The observer of the soul cannot penetrate into the soul, but there doubtless is a margin where he comes into contact with it.
For a time I let my mouth hang open, so that my excitement might take opportunity and leave.
First of all, I am delighted that you are a vegetarian at heart. I don’t like strict vegetarians all that much, because I too am almost a vegetarian, and see nothing particularly likable about it, just something natural, and those who are good vegetarians in their hearts, but, for reasons of health, from indifference, or simply because they underrate food as such, eat meat or whatever happens to be on the table, casually, with their left hand, so to speak, these are the ones I like.
Everyone carries a room about inside him.
No, freedom was not what I wanted. Only a way out; right or left, or in any direction; I made no other demand; even should the way out prove to be an illusion; the demand was a small one, the disappointment could be no bigger. To get out somewhere, to get out! Only not to stay motionless with raised arms, crushed against a wooden wall.
16 February. Can’t see my way clear. As though everything I possessed had escaped me, and as though it would hardly satisfy me if it all returned.
When dealing with myself I am powerless.
And where do you see in all this the influence of the Castle?” asked K. “So far it doesn’t seem to have come in. What you’ve told me about is simply the ordinary senseless fear of the people, malicious pleasure in hurting a neighbor, specious friendship, things that can be found anywhere,...