Term
Paper: the Trial
John
Hoffman
World
Literature, Period 2
April
26, 2012
As
history repeats itself, it gradually reveals bewildering aspects of the human
condition. The fall of emperors, Pharos, and Kings sprouted the seeds for the
upcoming generation of following dictatorships. It's a predictable circle that
is unstoppable because of human nature's thirst for power. Franz Kafka, author
of The Trial, noticed countless similar trends in human nature and intertwined
the ideas in to the themes of his books. In The Trial, an oppressive government
plays an antagonist role in gloomy European city fighting against Joseph K.,
the protagonist, for he symbolizes certain aspects of human nature that cannot
coexist with such a government. For the first time Joseph K. has to succumb to
the power of another; this unpreventable shift of sovereignty reveals Josephs
helplessness and overwhelming madness.
Kafka's was born and lived for many years in the city of Prague. Through the years of 1883 to 1924, Kafka’s life, Prague bared suffered. Until the year 1918 the city of Prague was under the Austro-Hungarian Empire which suits the unique setting in the novel. Joseph is a manager of a bank and it is blatant that he is well off and a successful man. Through the trial he seems to have supporters and family with power to contribute in this case. This leads to the assumption that throughout his life he has had power, control. The opening scene of the novel sparks the fire the Joseph K. never broke free from. Joseph was arrested for unknown reasons, by unknown people and his fate undecided (unknown). “He realized at once that he shouldn't have spoken aloud, and that by doing so he had, in a sense, acknowledged the stranger's right to oversee his actions (Kafka, 1)”. Already it is seen that in this era life’s are being watched and sentences a phrased for safety. K is in disbelief that this could happen. He is not told who would do this and it is so absurd that he believes it to be a joke, yet the bigger part of the quote is how K is disappointed because he allowed the other man power. The frustration and anger portrayed in his reactions only show how more and more he is becoming mad with just such little rebellion.
Kafka's was born and lived for many years in the city of Prague. Through the years of 1883 to 1924, Kafka’s life, Prague bared suffered. Until the year 1918 the city of Prague was under the Austro-Hungarian Empire which suits the unique setting in the novel. Joseph is a manager of a bank and it is blatant that he is well off and a successful man. Through the trial he seems to have supporters and family with power to contribute in this case. This leads to the assumption that throughout his life he has had power, control. The opening scene of the novel sparks the fire the Joseph K. never broke free from. Joseph was arrested for unknown reasons, by unknown people and his fate undecided (unknown). “He realized at once that he shouldn't have spoken aloud, and that by doing so he had, in a sense, acknowledged the stranger's right to oversee his actions (Kafka, 1)”. Already it is seen that in this era life’s are being watched and sentences a phrased for safety. K is in disbelief that this could happen. He is not told who would do this and it is so absurd that he believes it to be a joke, yet the bigger part of the quote is how K is disappointed because he allowed the other man power. The frustration and anger portrayed in his reactions only show how more and more he is becoming mad with just such little rebellion.
The
ending of the novel is a mystery to all. Joseph’s actions are suicidal. Suicide
because he was mad and the madness started the day of his arrest. Being the
wealthy man that he is he worked hard at the bank. The majority of K’s life
revolves around the success of the bank. “But instead of working, he … without
being aware of it, left his arm outstretched on the desktop and remained sitting
motionless with bowed head (Kafka, 112)”. The trial has now become an
obsession. This obsession restrains him from working successfully and edges him
further on a path of insanity. Thought out the novel K’s rival is the assistant
manager at the bank because K feels threatened by him. With K being busy with
the trial and having a wondering mind it is clear that K needs time off and the
assistant manager seems to be the only replacement. The fact that K. is sent
off to do easy work out of the office such as accompanying a client through the
city is unbearable for him. Ordered out of the office, leaving important
clients waiting and left to be dealt with his nemesis at work is piled on to K
to a point where he cannot handle any more. For a power hungry man to be stripped
from all the control he has in the matter of months will devastate anyone.
In
every time period there are the romantics that are driven mad because of love.
In other cases the loves drives men mad. The dual companionship between two
people means the sharing of power. It is obvious that Joseph’s characteristics
prevent him from this task. In this unfinished novel Joseph has his unfinished
relationship (affair) with Fraulin Burstner. Burstner leaving with no
explanation, which appears to be a repeating theme, enraged Joseph. He comes
home and she is not there. He frustration is seen when he repeatedly tries to
contact her and waits up for her but no sign. Later finding out that she
thought it would be best to end it this way. Though K and Burstner play mind
bobbling games as shown when “K. … rushed out, seized her, kissed her on the
mouth, then all over her face, like a thirsty animal lapping greedily at a
spring it had found at last (Kafka, 176). These situations when Burstner allows
Joseph to take control to have the power he ultimately desires only toils with
him more for when she snaps back in to reality and takes back what is
rightfully hers he doesn’t understand. Joseph believes he should have all the
control in every situation and for the most part he has but when taken away
along goes his sanity.
Uniforms
are forced upon countless people. It is believed that they keep control, order
and express superiority while suppressing creativity. Schools, businesses, and
even the government officials wear uniform. The uniforms seem to keep people in
control, containing rebellion while riding of creative (antagonizing) ideas. In
the corrupt government in The Trial, all of the members of the court not only
wore uniforms but also had a symbol that joseph noticed. Joseph thinking has
figure out there secret and master plan realizing that they are a group of
corrupt official fails to understand that he desires to be a part of them.
Noticing there power because of what he has been through he wants what they
have. He wants a uniform and a symbol of his own. He wants power. “You can't
defend yourself against this court, all you can do is confess. Confess the
first chance you get. That's the only chance you have to escape, the only one.
However, even that is impossible without help from others, but you needn't
worry about that, I'll help you myself (Kafka, 97)” Joseph is unable to defend
himself because there is no one to defend himself to. When he speaks he is not
being listened to but judged instead. There is nothing to benefit him there is
only that can hurt his case.
The
novel The Trial is interlocked with eerie settings, buildings, and even
the people themselves. In several different occasions Joseph finds himself in
the government buildings, and each time has its own peculiar reaction. He seems
to fall ill or hurt his case in some way. In the example when he follows the
one official in the beginning of the novel to the offices in the attic he
becomes so weak and helpless that he is escorted out by the help of the officials.
This is the ultimate sign of weakness when it is of the graciousness of the
enemy to help oneself. Joseph aware of this tries with all his might to do what
he can on his own but the offices are a black hole to Josephs power. For a
second incident when he sees the painter of the portraits he leaves his place
through the back attics in which the air is so thick he falls ill again. This
is a clear representation of what the court is doing to Joseph. The courts take
him down and drive him mad. When Joseph
visits the lawyer with the help of his uncle, his in once again placed amongst
others in a room that he fails to think and wonders off for hours with the
lawyers mistress. These actions are detrimental to his case and is obvious that
he should have not done what he had done but yet he fails to realize that and
has to be shunned by his uncle. He loses his power to his family and is criticized
like a child to a childish affair he started.
It
is in every human to make mistakes. In Josephs case his poor choices become
more than mistakes. It becomes sabotage. Joseph realizes the loss of control
and power and it appears that he dwindles down to reality that he cannot live
without it. ‘Try to realize that this vast judicial organism remains, so to
speak, in a state of eternal equilibrium, and that if you change something on
your own where you are, you can cut the ground out from under your own feel and
fall, while the vast organism easily compensates for the minor disturbance at
some other spot – after all, everything is interconnected – and remains
unchanged, if not, which is likely, even more resolute, more vigilant, more
severe, more malicious (Kafka, 112). Joseph faces the fact that this is out of
his control. There is a society and for once he has met a force that he cannot
beat. He goes out of his way to fire his lawyer who is doing all that he can to
slow down his verdict (which is all one can do) which Joseph is aware of but he
is not satisfied. He wants for the end to come. He wants to face his maker and
finally accept his fate because living in this helpless state isn’t living at
all for him.
Facing defeat can be the hardest
thing for a man. To accept and understand what is to come can be unbearable and
especially when unpreventable. "Both methods have this in common: they
prevent the accused from being convicted." "But they also prevent an
actual acquittal," said K. softly, as if ashamed of the realization
(Kafka, 169). K understands that there is not chance of being released form the
charges that are brought against him because he does not even know what the
charges are. He is still in the same place he was in the beginning. While the
court has come closer and closer to their verdict Joseph has gone nowhere. Even
block for states it when he says that every ones facial expressions says their
own verdict and Josephs face says GUILTY. When talking to block they talk about
“Great Lawyers” and how they are a “dream”. These lawyers are the ones that can
get a man off a case but these “great Lawyers” are inaccessible because they
don’t exhist.
To conclude this case Joseph is to
be found guilty. Joseph without being heard a verdict knows he is to be found
guilty. Through the process of this trail Joseph has changed. By then end of
his case he has accepted his fate and not only that but agrees with it. As the
two man carry Joseph away his struggle is that of a show. He doesn’t want to
accept his defeat but knows there is no other choice. He doesn’t want to be
portrayed as a failure but when the opportunity comes to escape with the police
officer he leads the chase the opposite was. Not seizing the opportunity
settles the case. He is to be stabbed for what he has done and accepts this
because there isn’t anything more he could want than to be the head of this corrupt
government. To control his to be killed and who is to live is the power of god.
The ultimate power. Josephs ultimate goal.
Works
Cited
Kafka, Franz. The
trial. Definitive ed. New York: Knopf, 19571956. Print.
"The Trial
Justice and Judgment Quotes Page 3." Shmoop: Homework Help, Teacher
Resources, Test Prep. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.shmoop.com/the-trial-kafka/justice-judgment-quotes-3.html>.
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