Franz Kalfka and The Missing Children Epidemic

      The issue of missing children is a growing concern around the world, and it is particularly concerning in countries where the social infrastructure to protect them is weak or absent. The phenomenon is a global epidemic that has affected countless families and communities. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, approximately 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States alone (Kraut). Franz Kafka, a well-known writer and philosopher was known for his ability to expose the harsh realities of the human condition in each of his literary pieces. Franz Kafka himself felt isolated and distorted from his family and society. He wanted to disappear because he believed life was meaningless. Through his works, Kafka’s beliefs and values are reflected in the darker aspects of human society and the mind of an individual. His works are meant to be challenging for readers to look deep within themselves and evaluate their own fears and anxieties in this world. In the coming paragraph, there will be ties to Franz Kafka's own beliefs and values and examine the missing children epidemic through Kafka's literary style and view on one of the world's biggest and fastest epidemics. Franz Kafka would address the missing children epidemic by finding why children who feel a certain way are more likely to run away or the motivation of people to kidnap children. 

      Kafka's writing often dealt with themes of alienation, powerlessness, and absurdity. This can be a common trait around missing children and the feeling of knowing one is there for them. The Britannica article about Franz Kafka says, “Kafka was a charming, intelligent, and humorous individual, but he found his routine office job and the exhausting double life into which it forced him (for his nights were frequently consumed in writing) to be excruciating torture, and his deeper personal relationships were neurotically disturbed” (Britannica). The characters in his works were also in similar situations that seemed to have been unavoidable and the feeling of isolation. In Kafka's work, the main character was often pitted against an impersonal society that was indifferent to their needs and desires. This happens in today's world where they feel sorry for certain types of children that go missing because they feel that it doesn't apply to them. As said in the article “Child's age can dictate the level of police action”, “In dozens of cities, a child's age can move them to the bottom of the priority list” (Barton and Abdollah). This means this is a type of abandonment towards missing children due to the way society moves. This situation can be shown in Franz Kafka's popular novel, The Trial. The main character in this novel is arrested and put on trial for a crime he is never informed of, and which he may not have even committed. Just like the families of missing children, they are not informed that they may never find their child. The novel relates to the system that is in control but doesn't prioritize the victims because of their collective beliefs. This sense of powerlessness and absurdity is also present in the issue of missing children. Parents and guardians are often left feeling helpless and frustrated as they search for their child. The legal system can be slow and inconvenient when it comes to responding to reports of missing children. The American media rarely focuses on these missing children's cases, and they fail to cover how serious the overall epidemic is. The search for missing children can often feel like Franz Kafka's a Kafkaesque nightmare, where the individual is trapped in an endless cycle of bureaucracy. 

      Another way Franz Kafka's work would address the missing children epidemic is that it often dealt with the idea of isolation and disconnection. His characters were constantly cut off from the world around them, unable to communicate their needs or desires. This can be seen in his short story, "The Metamorphosis," in which the protagonist wakes up one morning to find that he has been transformed into giant insect or vermin is what they called them. The story portrays the alienation and isolation that can come from being different or marginalized in society. According to the article, “No-One Runs Away for No Reason’: Understanding Safeguarding Issues When Children and Young People Go Missing From Home”,” The majority of children and young people run away from home due to family relationship problems. Running away or being physically absent from home may be due to abuse and neglect. One in 11 children reported being hurt or harmed whilst running away” (Hill et al). Apparently, missing children can also experience a sense of isolation and disconnection. They may be separated from their families and communities for long periods, leading to feelings of loneliness and trauma. For a child to go missing and feel desolate is the feeling expressed in Franz Kafka's literary works. Not only does going missing hurt the child but can also result in the loss of trust and leave a sense of betrayal from their loved ones. The search for missing children can therefore be seen as an attempt to reconnect and restore a sense of wholeness to the affected individuals and communities. 

      In the conclusion of missing children, guilt and shame can come upon the parents and guardians of the missing child, as well as the growing concern in the community. Parents may feel responsible for not being able to protect their children, while the community may feel a collective sense of guilt for not doing enough to prevent the epidemic. Also, they could vary based on, “The degree of effort often depends on a child's age or an officer's discretion. As a result, kids the same age can disappear under similar circumstances and receive vastly different police responses” (Barton). The search for missing children can therefore also be seen to be endless in the cases of being in the United States. Franz Kafka's beliefs make logical reasons why a child could go missing and how he relates to those feelings.