More than forgotten by the eaten of animals, according to Kafka, animal bodies carried the burden of the forgotten of all our sides we wanted to forget. If we want to deny one side of our nature, we talk about it as our animal nature. We suppress or hide this side, and despite this, as Kafka knows better than most of us, sometimes we find ourselves as an animal sometimes when we wake up.
In "Eating Animals," Jonathan Safran Foer discusses how animals, in their suffering, embody the aspects of humanity that we often prefer to ignore. He references Kafka to illustrate this point, suggesting that our attempts to distance ourselves from our primal instincts only lead to a deeper repression of our true nature. The animal bodies we consume serve as a reminder of the parts of ourselves we would rather forget.
Foer emphasizes that this denial of our "animal nature" does not eliminate it; instead, it lingers beneath the surface, surfacing in moments of vulnerability. By acknowledging this connection, we confront our own complexities and the ethical implications of our dietary choices. In doing so, we recognize that our relationship with animals is not just about sustenance, but also about understanding our own identity and existence.