Alma Books, 2023
208 p.
ISBN 978-1-84749-719-2
Post hau ingelesez dago.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Kafka‘s death and, what is more, 2023 would have been his 140th birthday and in 2025, we’ll be celebrating the 110th anniversary of the publication of The Metamorphosis. The choice of one of his books for Donostia Book Club was quite clear and so, on October, 14th we are going to analyse The Trial.
The novel was written between 1914 and 1915, but was published posthumously on 26 April 1925. Same as two of his other novels, The Castle and America, it was never completed, although it includes a chapter that brings the story to an abrupt end. It was edited and prepared for print by Kafka’s close friend, Max Brod, but Kafka’s final intention for the The Trial remains unknown.
This book, like most of Kafka’s fiction, has some dark humour, satirical touches about the reality surrounding him, but mostly it’s deeply unsettling. It tells the story of Josef K., who’s arrested (“virtually”, as he remains free to continue with his life) and prosecuted by some unknown and inaccesible authority. The absurdity of the situation is clear to him and to the readers, but the consequences of the events are clear and serious.
I don’t want to reveal much more, it is best you read it yourself. Here are some questions prepared by th Penguin Random House for the teachers:
Analyze the novel’s first sentence, paying particular attention to the use of the passive voice (“ he was arrested”) and the lack of clear information about the origin of this slander (“someone”) or the nature of his guilt (“anything truly wrong”). In what ways does this sentence establish a pattern for Josef K.’s passivity and for what happens to him in the novel as a whole?
Why doesn’t Josef K. have a full family name? Discuss the other characters’ names, noting the use of family names for some characters (“Titorelli,” “Huld,” “Fraulein Burstner”) and first names for others (“Leni” or “Elsa”). Where does this place Josef K.?
Why does Josef K. decide to “play along” with his arrest, even though the men who arrest him never show him any proof of their authority and he thinks it might be a “farce”? Does he behave as if he had a guilty conscience? What do we know about his past life and his family?
How is K. summoned to his first inquiry? By whom? Describe the part of the city and the strange building in which it takes place. What are the social conditions of the people living here? Describe the meeting that takes place in the large hall and what K. gradually learns about the Court. K. accuses the examining magistrate of giving secret signals to someone in the audience; is this true? What happens to the washerwoman? How would you characterize K.’s frame of mind when he leaves the assembly?
What makes K.’s execution so horrific? K. thinks he dies “like a dog!” Why? Discuss the importance of shame, reputation, and one’s “good name” in the novel in light of this scene. Does the execution reflect badly on K. or on the Court? Whose side are you on? Does Kafka make it clear which side we should be on?
(Questions source: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89257/the-trial-by-franz-kafka/9780805209990/teachers-guide/ )