The Trial.

Pookah

I've finally gotten around, at the age of 35, to reading Kafka's 'The Trial'.

I'm about halfways through it now, but I'm just trying to figure out if there's any point to it.

What's it all about? Is there any meaning to it all?

buck65

I love Kafka's short stories but always struggle with his novels. Have read the Trial but gave up about 30 pages from the end to try something a bit easier. For me it just went around in circles and I lost patience with it.
I did enjoy alot of it but it lacked the intensity of the short stories.

The Mad Hatter

The Question:

Pookah wrote: »

Is there any meaning to it all?

The answer:

buck65 wrote: »

it just went around in circles

Kafka's works are never literal (at least, nothing that I've read), but the meanings are often very open to interpretation. I'd see The Trial as being "about" authority, bureaucracy, intimidation, loss of self, and the futile attempts to gain control in a world which has stacked the odds against you. (Other things too, I'm sure, but that's off the top of my head.)

Part of the point of The Trial is its density, and its oppressiveness. I loved it, and for me it paid off at the end and throughout, but each to their own. That said, if you're only thirty or so pages into it, I'd suggest you try it a little longer before you give up. You probably haven't even met The Advocate yet, never mind Titorelli the Painter, nor have you come across the superb parable Before the Law, which comes in near the end (though this was also published as a short story, so it's possible you've read it anyway).

If you're looking for an alternative, you could try out Orson Welles' excellent film adaptation.

The Mad Hatter

Oh, also, regarding the "going round in circles" thing, the title in German is "Die Prozess," which presumably (I don't speak German) translates as "The Process" as well as "The Trial." Kafka liked punning titles, as can be seen also in The Castle ("Das Schloss," also meaning "The Lock"). Part of the point of The Trial is that, in spite of K.'s efforts, he never gets anywhere.

Ben Hadad

The trial isn't really about anything. Its all about kafka putting you in his bleak crazy personal world.

Its an experience, its not a story as such.

Its unlike anything I have read.

buck65

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

The Question:
The answer:



Part of the point of The Trial is its density, and its oppressiveness. I loved it, and for me it paid off at the end and throughout, but each to their own. That said, if you're only thirty or so pages into it, I'd suggest you try it a little longer before you give up. You probably haven't even met The Advocate yet, never mind Titorelli the Painter, nor have you come across the superb parable Before the Law, which comes in near the end (though this was also published as a short story, so it's possible you've read it anyway).

.

I was 30 pages from the end!!
I put it down but couldn't face finishing it, have read and loved most of his short stories just prefer them tbh.

The Mad Hatter

buck65 wrote: »

I was 30 pages from the end!!
I put it down but couldn't face finishing it, have read and loved most of his short stories just prefer them tbh.

Ah, right, misread, sorry!

Damian Duffy

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Oh, also, regarding the "going round in circles" thing, the title in German is "Die Prozess," which presumably (I don't speak German) translates as "The Process" as well as "The Trial." Kafka liked punning titles, as can be seen also in The Castle ("Das Schloss," also meaning "The Lock"). Part of the point of The Trial is that, in spite of K.'s efforts, he never gets anywhere.

I think that is the main point of the book, to read it as a linear story would ruin any hope you have of enjoying the book. I think you have to understand it will bring you around in circles. I personally enjoyed it.

Amerika on the other hand I did not enjoy. His short stories are excellent though. Grap a copy of his complete short stories and you will enjoy the real kafka.

Amazotheamazing

Odd, decided to finally read the Trial when I saw this thread and having read it solidly in a day and a half, I think it's an incredible book.

Imo, the Trial isn't really about futility, it's about how humans interact with futility, if you see the distinction. The Christian subtext, the darkness, the comedy, great book.

Posy

I've never read 'The Trial' but I'm going to go and buy it now this weekend and give it a try. The only other book by Kafka I've read is 'Metamorphosis' and I loved that so I think I'll give 'The Trial' a shot.

Valmont

Just as amazo says, it's about complete futility in the face of overwhelming ambiguity and confusion. Ever since reading Kafka's novels, I have hell in my mind as The Castle, I just can't imagine anything more emasculating or terrifying. While The Trial is an excellent read, I really believe it was a developmental step in exploring the themes that reached their zenith in The Castle and if you like The Trial, read this one next. His short stories are also worth a look.

Re: The Castle -

The ending (or lackthereof) is perfect, in my eyes, as it demonstrates the helplessness of K through exposing the eternal hellishness of his bizarre mission. I like to think of him there, for all eternity, scheming and plotting and becoming more invested in the bizarre little town, more confused in his own personal hell.

Grievous

His short story collections are well worth the purchase if anyone here enjoyed The Trial.

DirtyLeeds

Bought this yesterday, gonna start it today

Emiko

The needless insertion of the OP's age, and the oft-times description of 'The Trial' as an allegory for life itself, makes me wonder if this isn't a subtle troll.

Hence the final 2 questions in the OP.

DirtyLeeds

Touche

Morlar

Read the Trial years ago along with Metamorphosis. I recall being very impressed with it at the time, not really sure how I would take them now as tastes change. I visited jewish quarter in prague a few years ago (or wherever his house was) and was tempted to re-read it at the time - but didn't in the end.

I recall reading his diaries and one day in particular had an entry that stood out (in a kind of facebook/twitter kind of way) :

'Woke.Slept.Woke.Slept.Nothing.'

that seemed to sum things up quite well.