Chicago Project- Nathan Millis

In Kafka’s “Amerika”, based in a country the author never set foot in, America is a mix of crowded chaos and tranquility with no distinguishable borders or gradation between either. Images of young women draped in white cloth standing on tall pedestals, follow those of a hotel’s frantic elevator operator as he struggles to keep with a never-ending string of customers. Michael Hofmann describes Kafka’s vision of America as “a mythical place,” putting Kafka in the majority of not only people living outside of the United States today but Americans as well.

While presently the myth is considerably shaped by the idea of a post 9/11 era, the country has changed little due to the events of that day. There can be no doubt some things have happened as a result but the extent of that change has been exaggerated. The upswing in patriotism was as short lived as the interest in foreign affairs, the fear has passed, the economic down swing overdue.

Arkansas (2002)	Louisiana (2002)	Brooklyn, New York (2004)
Phoenix, Arizona (2004)	Illinois (2004)	Wisconsin Dells, WI (2002)
Iowa (2002)	Unknown (2002)	Missouri (2002)
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In Kafka’s “Amerika”, based in a country the author never set foot in, America is a mix of crowded chaos and tranquility with no distinguishable borders or gradation between either. Images of young women draped in white cloth standing on tall pedestals, follow those of a hotel’s frantic elevator operator as he struggles to keep with a never-ending string of customers. Michael Hofmann describes Kafka’s vision of America as “a mythical place,” putting Kafka in the majority of not only people living outside of the United States today but Americans as well. While presently the myth is considerably shaped by the idea of a post 9/11 era, the country has changed little due to the events of that day. There can be no doubt some things have happened as a result but the extent of that change has been exaggerated. The upswing in patriotism was as short lived as the interest in foreign affairs, the fear has passed, the economic down swing overdue.