Amerika

“He was looking out of the window, and the sight of the people in the street made him feel even more lonely.”

Chapter 1: The Stoker

Karl Rossmann, a sixteen-year-old boy from Prague, arrives in New York Harbor after being sent away by his parents due to a scandal involving a housemaid. On the ship, he befriends a stoker who complains about unfair treatment by the ship’s officers. Karl, sympathetic, accompanies him to the captain’s office to plead his case. There, they encounter the ship’s authorities and a wealthy man named Senator Jacob, who shockingly reveals himself as Karl’s uncle. The stoker’s grievances are dismissed, and Karl is taken away by his newfound uncle.

Chapter 2: The Uncle

Karl moves into his uncle’s luxurious home in New York. His uncle, a powerful businessman, provides him with an education and introduces him to high society. Karl adapts to his new life but remains somewhat isolated. After a visit from his uncle’s business associate, Mr. Pollunder, Karl is invited to a country estate. His uncle reluctantly allows him to go, warning him to return by midnight.

Chapter 3: A Country House Near New York

At Mr. Pollunder’s estate, Karl meets Clara, Pollunder’s daughter, and Mr. Green, another guest. Clara becomes aggressive toward Karl, leading to a physical altercation. Meanwhile, Mr. Green informs Karl that his uncle has disowned him due to his disobedience (staying past midnight). Karl is forced to leave the estate, now homeless and alone.

Chapter 4: The Road to Ramses

Karl wanders the streets until he encounters two drifters, Robinson and Delamarche, who offer him temporary shelter. They exploit his kindness, taking his money and belongings. After a chaotic night, they force him to accompany them to the city of Ramses, where they plan to find work.

Chapter 5: The Hotel Occidental

In Ramses, Karl secures a job as an elevator operator at the Hotel Occidental, a massive and bureaucratic institution. He works diligently but struggles with the strict hierarchy and the erratic behavior of his coworkers, including Robinson, who reappears drunk and causes trouble. The Head Cook, a maternal figure, takes pity on Karl, but his situation deteriorates when Delamarche and Robinson demand his help, leading to his dismissal.

Chapter 6: The Nature Theater of Oklahoma

Homeless again, Karl sees a poster advertising the “Nature Theater of Oklahoma,” which promises employment for everyone. He joins a surreal recruitment process where applicants are welcomed without question. Karl is accepted as a “technical worker” and boards a train heading west. The novel ends ambiguously, with Karl seemingly finding a new beginning, though Kafka’s unfinished manuscript leaves his ultimate fate unresolved.

Key Ideas

• Alienation and displacement in an unfamiliar society.
• The absurdity of bureaucratic systems and authority.
• Loss of identity and the struggle for autonomy.
• Exploitation of innocence in a capitalist world.
• The search for belonging in an indifferent universe.