Young Franz Kafka. Franz Kafka (3 July 1883–3 June 1924), influential German-language writer of novels and short stories, regarded by critics as one of the 20th century's greatest authors. His works, such as "The Metamorphosis", "The Trial, and The Castle, are filled with the themes and archetypes of alienation, physical and psychological brutality, parent–child conflict, characters on a terrifying quest, and mystical transformations.
