The author investigates the effect of typical traumata upon the development of Kafka's talent. The early death of his two brothers and the ensuing depressive reaction of his mother marked the beginning of his neurotic development. He experienced lifelong anxiety and loneliness, inner emptiness, and sadomasochistic fantasies. His efforts to sustain lasting relationships with women failed because he was engaged in a utopian quest for a mother who would understand everything, admire, and protect him. He found relief and satisfaction only in his writing, in the literary formulation of his anxieties and desires, in the creation of communication with potential readers.