Posthumous Publishing

Whether or not to publish the private works of an author that has passed is a complex question. It calls morals into question and lines become hazy and vague. One always wants to respect the wishes of a friend or family member after their passing, but sometimes going against that wish can be for the betterment of society. Take The Diary of Young Girl by Anne Frank. I can confidently say that no teenage girl wants her private diary to be published. Why? Because it is embarrassing. However, does that embarrassment cease to exist when a human’s soul leaves this earth? Anne Frank’s work has had a monumental impact globally. Many hide their work from the world because it is “private” which can also been interpreted as the author being scared. Franz Kafka suffered from self doubt most likely derived from his father’s verbal abuse. He wanted all of his manuscripts to be destroyed after his death, but his friend Max Brod decided to go against his wishes and publish his works. While a betrayal, this gave the literary world great works that are still studied today, nearly one hundred years later. Personally, I believe that going against a dying wish can be justified, but not always. Telling a family member that a loved one secretly despised them after their passing or sharing a personal secret that will only cause harm is unnecessary, but sharing a work that will benefit others seems appropriate. Yes, the parallels between Kafka’s own life and the characters in his works, especially Metamorphosis, are clear and not very flattering regarding his parents, but the meanings and lessons found in the works outweigh the negative impact on his family’s feelings. If anything, seeing the torment that a father imposes on his son in a fictional character may have caused Kafka’s father to reevaluate his own actions.