The Trial

By: Franz Kafka

The law is the law. In a world filled with cruelty and secrets, puppet masters and their toys, and racial and socioeconomic segregation, the law is the law. Going into The Trial, I was not entirely sure what to expect. Kafka is known as a literary genius for his other works, but the thought of reading a book centered around a cockroach has deterred me from starting his novels in the past. I was really drawn to this book in particular because the subject matter was focused on the legal world and the philosophy behind justice. The themes of prevailing order and Apollonian control follow the main character, Josef K, everywhere he goes, though not everything ends up necessarily in his favor. The best attribute of this novel, in my opinion, was that all of the odd events taking place happened to a completely normal person, thus showing how the unthinkable can occur to you and me, too.  

Kafka’s message is one big criticism of the court systems of a strong, utopian government, and he does not fail to remind the reader of it numerous times. All public and private bodies in operation work at the dispensation of the law, including churches and women (beware!). The overall idea behind the book is very relevant for how the world operates today, and there is definitely some merit in reading this. 

There was a lot I did not like in this novel, namely, the lack of completion. Kafka started writing The Trial ten years before his death and ultimately abandoned it, or just never got around to finishing the detail-driven work. This was extremely obvious throughout my reading experience, as there were so many loose ends and unfinished ideas that were presented as he had left them. So many characters were cut off and lines of reasoning were left unelaborated, making this novel both confusing and unintelligible at times; however, this did not affect the 15-page reflections on innocence and court procedures that failed to fit into what was currently taking place in the story. Another thing I was not a fan of was Kafka’s writing style, which can be compared to the nonsensical encounters and illogical train of though found in Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland—one of my least favorite stories. The randomness also closely resembled something I would find in a fever dream, which was both uncomfortable and unique. I am coming to understand that Kafka’s storytelling is just not my cup of tea, but if you like the aforementioned comparisons, then you will most likely love this.

I definitely consider this book to be one that I will reread when I am older and searching for wisdom through literature. If you are a fan of politics or involved in a legal career, I recommend you read The Trial and focus on the parallels between our reality and the fictitious life of a German banker. I was left with a new outlook on what “guilty” and “not guilty” meant, especially when being judged by your equally sinful peers. Manipulation and fear of control lead one to succumb to paranoia; free will is suffocated; and “it’s in the nature of the judicial system that one is condemned not only in innocence but also in ignorance.”