Franz Kafka's writing style has been described by some commentaries as "magical realism." Having read his short story The Metamorphosis, what are some themes and plot devices that a magician could pull from and incorporate into his/her performance material.

Please discuss...

Apart from a quick-change into a giant cockroach? It's been about 10 years since I've read it, give me time to review and I'll have some answers.

I have not read it but why a giant cockroach? Why not something magical, like a unicorn?

In [u]Metamorphosis[/u], the main character transforms into a Cockroach. If we want to talk about using Kafka themes in magic, [u]The Trial[/u] would be an excellent way to go. A man is arrested and goes through trial without any idea of why until the end. Thematically speaking, sounds a lot like the theory of false solutions to me.

Read in in English here:

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/stories/kafka-E.htm

I think David Blaine dips into the Kafka pool consistantly...and it's parallel is pretty obvious, I would think. Either way, could we put all these in one thread?

I don't understand a tale of a family's metamorphosis is related to stage conjuring. Even the most facile reader is expected to understand the "he turned into a bug" as a literary device.

It strikes me that Kafka's tale would be a rather depressing basis for an illusion performance.

Hmmm...maybe something inspired by an Ionesco play or a Vonnegut story...?

Being a pulp fan, I could see a performing persona based loosely on Doc Savage (strongman/endurance stunts, escapes, mental acuity stunts, etc.)

I think Kafka sucked.

Well, I don't know about Franz, but his writing sure did.

Steve, I'm a big Doc Savage fan! What great idea for presentation!

Kafka is a little too sad and gloomy, IMHO, for supplying entertainment in a trick. He states it himself metaphorically in the first page of the second chapter of the Metamorphosid when he states: "The shine of the electric streetlights lay pale here and there on the ceiling and on the higher parts of the furnitures."

I do appreciate that the quote is made out of context but I also believe that subconscious screams through everything we say and do in magic as it does in litterature. But bizarre magic also has an entertaining value so...

What if people were expecting from magic an illusory relief rather than an enlightment of our sad and stressing limitations in an infinite universe.

Can you catch the reference in this clip?

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=FAP46A_NKEc&feature=related

From reading your spots I understand that you're a musician at heart. I've learned a few things in my life and still do but when it comes to music I must (to my shame) admit that I'm a total mongolito. Not that I dislike music but I just know nothing about it.