Point of View

The novel is written in the past tense and the third person. Karl is the sole point-of-view character, and the narration is limited third person tied to his perspective. Technically, this perspectival choice means that the reader has access to Karl’s thoughts, as well as any information of which Karl is aware. However, Kafka’s style often functions to create a sense of confusion both within and outside of the protagonist’s perspective. In other words, Karl—like all of Kafka’s protagonists—navigates a deeply confusing world, where people behave irrationally and often hostilely. Additionally, Karl’s own internal thought processes alternate between rational and irrational, as his personality is defined by a contradictory mixture of naiveté an cynicism.

Even though the perspective is technically tied solely to Karl, the novel also creates a larger sense of perspective around the interactions of all...