The blood ties between Kafka and his father symbolize the genetic aspect of his father's presence within Kafka. Kafka cannot shake off his father's presence because the curse his father created "is part of [his] DNA" (387). From this point of view, the curse could be a metaphor for "[Wrath]...while torturing [him]", due to his father's lack of devotion to him (387). Furthermore, his "father polluted everything he touched, damaged everyone around him", which symbolizes the fact that Kafka's mind and identity were polluted, and therefore corrupted, by the negative influence of his father (203). Kafka also has his father's destructive genes since his birth since "half [his genes] are made up of" his father (203). Thus, despite Kafka's efforts to “escape,” his father's presence continues to torture him (6). Despite his curiosity “Why do people go to war?” ", Kafka is actually waging a war within himself as he tries to put an end to his prophecy, and therefore to his father's presence, when in reality, "nothing is really over" (386). In war, countries try to annihilate the opposite