As a winner of the “Oxford German Classic 2023” competition, Robert Ruth (outgoing Y13 student at Gosforth Academy) was invited to take part in the prize-giving ceremony at the Bodleian Library in Oxford this June.
Robert received a commendation by the Oxford University judges for his essay on Franz Kafka’s Der Heizer (“The stoker”). The story addresses themes including family and friendship, migration, identity and encounters with the foreign - be it a person of a different nationality, social status or gender. It is a story about growing up, finding one's way in a foreign land, and personal (in)stability. The experiences Kafka evokes for the reader with his narratives are so distinctive that they have given rise to the word 'Kafkaesque.'
The judges were most impressed with the quality of the submissions overall and commented on the sophistication with which the entries engaged with this challenging text, its themes and the characters’ complex motives. They also commended the insightful use of textual evidence and the adventurous connections entrants established between the historical text and current issues.
Well done Robert!