If you think riding a subway can be a\u00a0Kafka-esque experience, try taking Mexico City\u2019s yellow line. At each of 13 stations along the line, you\u2019ll see a large billboard, on which is printed–in Spanish translation, of course–a portion of Frank Kafka\u2019s short story, \u201cThe Bridge.” In Spanish, that’s “El Puente.” \u00a0If you ride the line from end to end, you\u2019ll be able to read the entire, 343-word story in sequence.<\/p>\n

According to The City Fix<\/a>, the billboards are part of a project aimed at increasing literacy. The innovative effort is a partnership between Mexico\u2019s largest book retailer, Librerias Gandhi, and Mexico City\u2019s transportation authority<\/a>. The billboards are not the only reading materials in Mexico City\u2019s subway stations, and the campaign is not restricted to the yellow line. Pamphlets containing the complete story are available for all riders. [The City Fix<\/a> offers an entertaining video that gives the flavor of the Kafka\/subway experience.]<\/p>\n

To its credit, Mexico City\u2019s transit authority has a long history of acknowledging the literacy needs of its riders: When the first subway line was built several decades ago, the authority identified each station with minimalist logos by Lance Wyman<\/a>\u2014an attempt to make navigation easier for travelers who couldn\u2019t read. The station icons depicted landmarks in the surrounding area, helping riders decipher their location and their destination.<\/p>\n

Today, UNICEF pegs Mexico\u2019s literacy rate at 93 percent, a vast improvement. And now that most of the population has at least basic reading skills, expanded exposure to literature would seem a logical next step. And that\u2019s where Kafka fits in.<\/p>\n

“The Bridge\u201d<\/a> is a deceptively simple story: The narrator is the bridge, who describes how \u201che\u201d got there, how \u201che\u201d feels, and what happens when a traveler arrives to cross the ravine over which \u201che\u201d is stretched. You can easily read it in just a few minutes [or in the 13 snippets along the yellow line]. But the story leaves you wondering: Is the bridge an actual person or an imaginary, talking object? Is the author hallucinating, dreaming, or writing symbolically? Is he commenting on human behavior? I\u2019ve never taught a literature class, but I can see how this story would be an excellent vehicle to introduce maturing readers to thinking about interpretation, point of view, symbolism and use of language.<\/p>\n

What a great idea. Let\u2019s try it here.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you think riding a subway can be a\u00a0Kafka-esque experience, try taking Mexico City\u2019s yellow line. At each of 13 stations along the line,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,384,784,241],"tags":[1241,1240],"yoast_head":"\n