| A Highly Non-Analytical Exploration of Human Nature A notion that man has had for quite some time is their apparent differentiation from the animals (and thus neglecting the fact they are animals) and attributing this to some aspect of their being. Of course, any individual with the slightest biological knowledge undoubtedly knows that the key to the differentiation of man from the other species lies in their DNA. However, various intellectuals have professed that being human is constituted by more than simply having the proper genetic code. They postulate that man is composed of an inherent nature or essence (whose purity many a great philosopher have posited), which places a meaning on being human. A formation of a social contract is also innately human, and the society for by this contract actively defines the human prototype imbedded in an individual’s cognition. People within the populace who do not meet the standards of the prototype are cast aside in various ways and under various titles. These aspects of the human essence are aptly exemplified in a variety of Kafka’s short works such as “The Metamorphosis” and “In the Penal Colony,” among others. First, it would be a wise decision to analyze the prototype of a human created by society for once it has been established the other aspects of the human essence can be explored more fully. The human prototype consists of various parts but the most observable is undeniably physical appearance, which is also quite possibly the most important. When an individual does not meet the societal aesthetic expectations then they are often met with abhorrence and are simply cast aside as was the case with the elephant man, and also the human insect known as Gregor from “The Metamorphosis (Kafka 118).” Another aspect that is almost as important as appearance is the general cognitive characteristics of an individual. These characteristics range from intelligence levels, e.g. the exclusion from normal society of those below an IQ of 70, to an individual’s ideals and how closely they resemble the general populace’s such as the exclusion of the Lieutenant in “In the Penal Colony (Kafka 190).” The final aspect of this prototype can spawn from ethnocentrism, which excludes those that are not of common decadence with the majority of the population, which is most commonly illustrated by anti-Semitism and Nazi Germany. The prototype conceived by these structures coupled by the human’s inborn power of ignorance cause the myriad types of dismissal of those not meeting it. Society, attempting to neatly rid the majority of the minority, has fabricated multiple methods of expulsion from its ranks. The most prevalent method employed to remove individuals is simple isolation, which can be accomplished in two ways, socially and physically. The latter of these ways is less prevalent in the current age and thoroughly reeks of the inquisition, the Nazis, United States internment camps during World War II and Salem, Massachusetts (which Mister Miller illustrated quite well, might I add). This method physically removes the unwanted individuals from the population and often times subjects them to physical strife, while also ascribing them “jocular” names such as heretic, witch or Jew. In “The Metamorphosis” Gregor’s isolation to his room, that is if not looked at allegorically, almost completely epitomizes the physical type of isolation. Gregor was locked inside his room and disallowed contact with his family by his family, which is remarkably similar to the isolation of the Germans of Jewish descent to ghettoes, and then concentration camps, from Germans by the Germans during the rise of the Nazi party (Kafka 140). Also, Gregor was called a monstrous vermin which coincides nicely with the calumnious titles given to those physically expelled from society (Kafka 117). One could even argue that the violence executed on Gregor by his father is representative of the physical strife imposed on some physically isolated individuals, making “The Metamorphosis” a metaphor for that type of isolation (Kafka 164). And an even more callous (and ignorant) individual would attempt to call it a metaphor for anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany, which is preposterous since Kafka did not live long enough to see that (that is, unless he could see the future). Contrary to the physical method of isolation, the social method requires much fewer resources and labor, but is just as harsh. This approach consists of an active exclusion of individuals from a range of events and opportunities without actually ejecting them from the populace. A favorite pseudo-contemporary example of this is the McCarthy era, America’s fear-filled age of hypocrisy, which needs not to be explained. However, a slightly older, less favored literary example is that of the Lieutenant from “In the Penal Colony.” The Lieutenant was the final remnant of the previous regime in the colony and insisted on not assimilating in popular culture and disavowing the correctional ability of his machine, and also acknowledging its cruelty (Kafka 216). This dissidence left him almost entirely devoid of human contact for no came to see the executions anymore (Kafka 210). Additionally, at the innumerable political gatherings he was usually not allowed to speak for no one wished to hear defense for the machine, and when he did attain a moment to spread his voice he was simply ignored (Kafka 210). Yes, this is truly representative of the social method of isolation. Although unnecessary, a further illustration is not without merit. “Before the Law” perfectly exhibits social isolation through the exclusion of the individual from entering the halls of the Law (Kafka 249). Obviously, this piece is an allegory for pre-Nazi anti-Semitism during which those of Jewish descent had a difficult time entering many prestigious fields. The inability of the man to enter the halls of law despite his arduous attempts represents the difficulty Jews had attempting to enter that field. And the front guard represented the first of many social impediments a Jewish individual would encounter trying to become involved in law (Kafka 250). Hence, disagreement with the human prototype results in one of two types of segregation, which, though different, are equally detrimental to the lives of those excluded. Ascribing meaning to being human is intrinsically human for it derives from man’s expanded ability to cogitate. Besides being a means to express a juvenile pride, the meaning given to being human embodies man’s volition to achieve the ideal. One will hear few people state that to be human is to err, or to be arrogant or any other negative attribute. One will nearly solely hear that to be human is to be dutiful, to be honest or, essentially, be good. Duty and responsibility are personified by Gregor’s extreme sense of guilt resulting from his inability to support his family, and also by the Lieutenant in his dissatisfaction with his inability to dissuade the new commander from removing the old commander’s machine (Kafka 150, 200). To be human is to have hope as the jackals did in “Jackals and Arabs” for salvation from their oppressors, the Arabs (Kafka 252). To be human is to find escape and respite as the ape did by learning to talk and assimilating in “A Report for an Academy (Kafka 283).” Unfortunately for those who believe to be human means to solely be good, being human also means possessing the capability to do wrong, to exploit and to hurt. To be human is to exclude as Gregor’s family excluded him, as the penal colony’s denizens excluded the Lieutenant, and as the guard excluded the man from the halls of law (Kafka 140, 210, 250). To be human is to exploit as the ape’s captors meant to exploit the ape, as the jackals meant to exploit the traveler and as the Lieutenant attempted to exploit the diplomat (Kafka 282, 252, 212). To be human means to have the capability to do good and evil and to act on both those capabilities. Kafka’s works are highly representative of humanity and its defining characteristics, save genetic information. Man’s callow nature characterized by its ascription of meaning to being human is further expounded by its composition of a brutally exclusive social contract. This characteristic most adeptly separates humanity from its kin. |