Blogs / How to look smart and impress people in 400 words or less
Kafkaesque
| 10/29/09
Kafkaesque is simply anything that refers to the style with which the author Franz Kafka wrote his books. It is often used in attempts to sound interesting.
According to the Urban Dictionary, Kafkaesque basically describes “a nightmarish situation which most people can somehow relate to, although strongly surreal.” It typically refers to something that is overly bureaucratic (i.e. many of my experiences with administration at the U of M), thus overly complicated for no reason because it has no points of reference.
For example: “Getting my credit transfer from my French Immersion program was Kafkaesque; I waited for two hours in three different line-ups!”
It’s also used in Annie Hall (the Woody Allen film? Really? Does this need an explanation? Wait, I just sounded a little snooty just there), by one of Allen’s dates after they finish having sex. Not exactly a compliment, although she claims it to be.
Handle this one with care, or maybe read some Kafka if you get a chance between studying for mid-terms.