Fellowship
By
Franz Kafka
About the Author
Franz Kafka, the author of "Fellowship" was born on July 3, 1883 in Prague. Kafka learned German for his first language, and then he learned French. He went to Charles University of Plague where he would be able to study chemistry, but then he switched to learning law. After some time, he joined a student club meant for reading and literary events. Throughout his student club experience, he met a guy named Felix Weltsch, who was a journalist, and they became close friends. Then in the early 1920's he began to have an interest in journalism and writing, so he started to write many short stories as a starter. Then he started to suffer from a clinical depression leading to death. He died on June 3, 1924 in Vienna.
Pre-reading Reflection
Why might a group of friends stick together?
A group of friends should stick together because it is always good to be around someone you feel comfortable with instead of being alone. Something bad could happen to someone without a group because you wouldn't have anyone to defend you if something bad happens.
Why might a group of friends exclude someone from joining them?
Sometimes people aren't nice to other people and it'll be better to hang out with friends who are more of your type. Others might not like to be with someone that just isn't their type, so they would just want to be near someone that's the same as them.
A group of friends should stick together because it is always good to be around someone you feel comfortable with instead of being alone. Something bad could happen to someone without a group because you wouldn't have anyone to defend you if something bad happens.
Why might a group of friends exclude someone from joining them?
Sometimes people aren't nice to other people and it'll be better to hang out with friends who are more of your type. Others might not like to be with someone that just isn't their type, so they would just want to be near someone that's the same as them.
Vocabulary
Intrude: breaking into something "He doesn't do us an harm, but he annoys us, and that is harm enough; why does he intrude where he is not wanted?" (p. 87)
Tolerated: to allow/permit "There was a time, of course, when the five of us did not know one another, but what is possible and can be tolerated by the five of us is not possible and cannot be tolerated with this sixth one." (p. 87)
Pouts: act sad for a while; to annoy someone constantly "No matter how he pouts his lips we push him away with out elbows, but however much we push him away, back he comes." (p. 88)
Tolerated: to allow/permit "There was a time, of course, when the five of us did not know one another, but what is possible and can be tolerated by the five of us is not possible and cannot be tolerated with this sixth one." (p. 87)
Pouts: act sad for a while; to annoy someone constantly "No matter how he pouts his lips we push him away with out elbows, but however much we push him away, back he comes." (p. 88)
Contrasting Ideas
author wants reader to feel sympathetic for the five not including the sixthThe five have known each other for a long time "It is also pointless for the five of us, but here we are together and will remain together; a new combination, however, we do not want, just because of our experiences." (Page 87-88)
The five think that the sixth is trying to invade their space "Since then we have been living together; it would be a peaceful life if it weren't for a sixth one continually trying to interfere." (Page 87) The sixth is constantly annoying the five "He doesn't do us any harm, but he annoys us, and that is harm enough." (Page 87) The sixth is always following the five "Why does he intrude where he is not wanted?" (Page 87) |
author wants reader to feel critical for the five not including the sixthIt's not nice to exclude someone "We don't know him and don't want him to join us." (Page 87)
The five don't even give the sixth a chance "what is possible and can be tolerated by the five of us is not possible and cannot be tolerated with this sixth one." (Page 87) The five just assume that he is annoying, if they don't hang out with the sixth, then they wouldn't really know The five just push the sixth away "No matter how he pouts his lips we push him away with our elbows." (Page 88) They think that it's a waste of time to teach the sixth everything "Long explanations would almost amount to accepting him to our circle, so we prefer not to explain and not to except him." (Page 88) |