Franz Kafka wrote The Trial with many absurdities to emphasize his messages.

  1. Josef K was arrested in his room in his boardinghouse, even though he wasn’t told of his offence or crime.
  2. K’s three wardens weren’t dressed in uniforms.
  3. The wardens stole and ate Josef’s breakfast.
  4. Josef was allowed to go to office for his work.
  5. Josef was not asked to put up bail or surety.
  6. Josef kissed his fellow boarder, Fraulein Burstner, but she didn’t protest or put up a fight!
  7. Josef went to a block of private apartments, where some units were used as courtrooms.
  8. The examining magistrate’s table had a book of very graphic paintings, and a book of sadistic story titled “The Torments Grete Had To Suffer from Her Husband Hans”. Instead of studying law books, the judge in. indulging is his pleasures.
  9. The court usher’s wife asked Josef to take her away from her husband and home.
  10. A law intern carried the court usher’s wife away from Josef while he was talking to her.
  11. Josef’s Uncle Albert, brought him to his old friend, Herr Huld, who is sickly, and yet willing to take on work as Josef’s advocate. Huld pretends to be doing work to assist Josef’s case.
  12. Herr Huld’s nurse, Leni, flirts heavily with Josef.
  13. Josef thinks his case is not progressing at the courts.
  14. Josef’s bank customer, a merchant, tells him about a painter named Titorelli, who said he knew people who could help Josef. How can an artist painter influence people in the judicial system?
  15. Josef wants to go on a wild goose chase to see Titorelli.
  16. Titorelli sounds like a fraud. He knows judges only because he paints their portraits.
  17. Titorelli sells Josef one dusty painting stored under his bed because it was unsaleable.
  18. Titorelli cons Josef into buying that painting’s twin, and then its third member in the group of three paintings.
  19. Josef has doubts about advocate Herr Huld. He wises up and wants to dismiss his service. He meets Huld and relays this.
  20. Two men dressed in black arrive to escort Josef K away to a secluded spot. They strip away his clothes. This act is the same as when Jesus was stripped to be crucified. One of his captors takes out a double edged butcher’s knife. One man retrains Josef by his throat while the other stabs into Josef’s heart and turns the knife to damage his heart. While the narrative does not say who betrayed Josef and ordered his judgement, it is cllear that Herr Huld could be a suspect. Since Josef refused to support the complex system of corruption, he was taken out. It was ironic that Huld, an advocate respected by his colleague, betrayed Josef’s Uncle Albert, and betrayed Josef.

Kafka lived from 1883 to 1924. in his book The Trial, he described ordinary people operating scams to cheat their friend and foe alike. Humanity was so depraved.

Related post:

The main book review on The Trial is at https://booksreviewsandmore.com/kafkas-the-trial-was-inspired-by-women/


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