The last collection of short stories by Dezső Kosztolányi, Tengerszem (Mountain Lake, 1936), repeatedly raises the question of where the boundaries of human life are and how human beings can be defined. In the context of natural affects and mechanical existence, the book questions the privileged position commonly attributed to humanity. As human and nonhuman actors o en intertwine in the narratives, life can only be understood as part of a complex constellation. Consequently, the structure of the short stories involves different perspectives, which also serves to develop a critical approach to the homogeneous interpretations of human dignity.

The last collection of short stories by Dezső Kosztolányi, Tengerszem (Mountain Lake, 1936), repeatedly raises the question of where the boundaries of human life are and how human beings can be defined. In the context of natural affects and mechanical existence, the book questions the privileged position commonly attributed to humanity. As human and nonhuman actors o en intertwine in the narratives, life can only be understood as part of a complex constellation. Consequently, the structure of the short stories involves different perspectives, which also serves to develop a critical approach to the homogeneous interpretations of human dignity.