The Trial
From Conservapedia
Franz Kafka's dystopian novel The Trial (original title: Der Prozess) tells the tale of "Josef K." (usually just called "K."), who is arrested, put on trial, and eventually executed for an unspecified crime.
Even though K. initially underestimates the seriousness of his situation (he even remains free during his trial), the novel features a vast bureaucracy, corrupt people at every link of the chain, and a legal system that is arbitrary and irrational.
The following excerpt from the second chapter nicely sums up the state of the world K. finds himself in:
| “ | "There is no doubt," he said quietly, "that there is some enormous organisation determining what is said by this court. In my case this includes my arrest and the examination taking place here today, an organisation that employs policemen who can be bribed, oafish supervisors and judges of whom nothing better can be said than that they are not as arrogant as some others. This organisation even maintains a high-level judiciary along with its train of countless servants, scribes, policemen and all the other assistance that it needs, perhaps even executioners and torturers - I'm not afraid of using those words. And what, gentlemen, is the purpose of this enormous organisation? Its purpose is to arrest innocent people and wage pointless prosecutions against them which, as in my case, lead to no result. How are we to avoid those in office becoming deeply corrupt when everything is devoid of meaning? That is impossible, not even the highest judge would be able to achieve that for himself. That is why policemen try to steal the clothes off the back of those they arrest, that is why supervisors break into the homes of people they do not know, that is why innocent people are humiliated in front of crowds rather than being given a proper trial. | ” |
Because The Trial was published posthumously based on notes collected by Kafka's friend Max Brod, there is some doubt as to the proper ordering of the chapters.
External Links
- Project Gutenberg - The Trial (translation by David Wyllie)
