Modernism is a philosophical movement that was popular from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, due to increasing industrialization and globalization, followed by World War I. Authors of this predominantly English genre of writing felt that traditional forms of literature were becoming outdated in the emerging industrialized world. The modernist literary movement was driven by the desire to overturn traditional modes of representation and express the new sensibilities of the time. Franz Kafka and Robert Musil were two influential writers during the modernist literary movement. Kafka was a German writer of novels and short stories, arguably one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. "In the Penal Colony" a short story…show more content… The officer believes in the execution by the machine because it was created by the old Commandant. In this penal colony, the officer’s strength is due to his power over everyone because he controls the machine. In The Confusions of Young Torless a common theme of strength is also shown between adolescents in an all-male military boarding school. Reiting, one of the boys in the boarding school demonstrates his power over Basini, just as the officer demonstrates his power over the accused. Reiting takes advantage of Basini by physically, physiologically, and sexually abusing…show more content… The officer has a personal belief in the colony’s code of governance and most of all the machine that enforces it. He sees his actions as a duty in which society is bettered. The officer has a passion for the device that executes the accused. He admires the machines technological achievement and has great pride in the purpose for which the machine was constructed. He is not the one who decides the fate of a person’s life, but only controls the machine which does. Reiting on the other hand takes matters into his own hands by deciding to punish Basani for his actions. Reiting has no appointed authority over Basani, but creates a psychological and physical dominance over him due to the fear of his wrongful actions being reported. Reiting blackmails Basani as a way to manipulate the laws of the school to gain an advantage over Basini. This fear of being reported to the school creates a nightmarish reality Basani must deal with that is arguably more gruesome than the punishment that may have been given by the school. Unlike the officer who only controls the machine, Reiting acts as the machine and tortures the
