Sebald's Uncanny Insights: Power, Order, and the Ghost of Kafka

This essay delves into W.G. Sebald's interpretation of Kafka and Canetti, highlighting his profound insights into the nature of power. Sebald argues that totalitarian power stems from a fear of chaos, attempting to establish a sterile order through violence, ultimately leading to self-destruction. This power, he suggests, is parasitic rather than creative, barren and self-serving, its only aim self-perpetuation, mirroring the vampiric despots in Kafka's works. Sebald's analysis offers a timely warning, especially relevant in our current era.