Your Comments on Minor Literature

Minor Literature

Minor Literature

von Amira Allam -
Anzahl Antworten: 0

The idea of “minor literature” pertains not to a language used by a minority but to the way a minority uses/angages with a dominant language. As  a Jewish writer from Prague who wrote in German, Kafka illustrates this by employing the German language in a manner that is separated from its dominant cultural context. His German demonstrates a “deterritorialization,” where the limits of the language are altered, generating a feeling of estrangement and conflict. The text understandabily mentions how minor literature is fundamentally political, as personal narratives, like Kafka’s issues with his father, actually symbolize wider societal and political conflicts. Kafka's language is characterized by its fragmentation and tension, and thus reflects the experiences of marginalized communities and questions prevailing norms. His writing alters the dominant language of German into a lesser form, discarding conventional representation and serving as a “medium” for suffering and conflict.