The Trial (Kafka's original German title: Der Process later as Der Prozess and Der Prozeß) is a novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1925.
“From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached.”
“It's sometimes quite astonishing that a single, average life is enough to encompass so much that it's at all possible ever to have any success in one's work here.”
“it is not necessary to accept everything as true, one must only accept it as necessary.' 'A melancholy conclusion,' said K. 'It turns lying into a universal principle.”
“I see, these books are probably law books, and it is an essential part of the justice dispensed here that you should be condemned not only in innocence but also in ignorance.”
Logic may indeed be unshakeable, but it cannot withstand a man who is determined to live. Where was the judge he had never seen? Where was the High Court he had never reached? He raised his hands and spread out all his fingers. But the hands of one of the men closed round his throat, just as the other drove the knife deep into his heart and turned it twice.
The right understanding of any matter and a misunderstanding of the same matter do not wholly exclude each other.
2 comments:
The first novel I read was The Trial. I think I was about 11 years old. That’s why I have such a special feeling about this novel and I think highly of Franz Kafka. Years went by I lived in my country and made familiarity with political issues to reach intellectual maturity until I realized what this novel concept would be. I don’t know what to say about Kafka’s world while it offered a tremendous amount to think—and, presumably, to write—about, I can't quite summon the necessary energy actually to gather my thoughts and present them; Still, when I think about terrifying and unpredictable world of Josef K, an innocent man swept up by gears of an evil modernity I feel afraid. I think it is associated with bureaucracy which is really so close to totalitarianism. It’s a kind of Bureaucracy which is crucial to the absolutism which is a part of what makes the menace of absolute power. Just compare ‘The Trial’ with ‘1984’ written by George Orwell. Winston Smith and Josef K, both of them are fugitives. Both of them want to get ride of sb or sth. However ‘The Trial’ is more identified with bureaucracy and alienation than totalitarianism while ‘1984’ shows what can happen when governments are given too much power. It shows us how such governments can develop, and what methods they use to keep the people they are governing in their power. The Government (Big Brother) is taking over every aspect of his life under the guise of progress, leaving no room for privacy, individuality or freedom. As you know Nineteen Eighty-Four (first published in 1949) while The Trial first published in 1925; and today 6th February 2012.
I want to ask a question. Which situation is more horrible? Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ and Joseph K which unexpectedly arrested by two unidentified agents for an unspecified crime which finally they execute him while his last words describe his own death: "Like a dog!" or Orwells“1984” and Winston Smith which is under the microscope of Big Brother, run away from Big Brother which control everything and finally lose his love and he has accepted the Party entirely and has learned to love Big Brother. Or we, people who we are living in 21th century with complicated situation with Logic may indeed be unshakeable. Where is the judge we have never seen? Where were the High Court we have never reached? As you mention at the last line of your post, the right understanding of any matter and a misunderstanding of the same matter do not wholly exclude each other. It’s really complicated. I just remember a poem by W.H.Auden with this title: “The Unknown Citizen” which has close relationship to these two citizens, Joseph K and Winston Smith.
THE UNKNOWN CITIZEN
(To JS/07 M 378 This Marble Monument Is Erected by the State)
He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports on his conduct agree That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a
saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his
generation.
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their
education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
And finally, what is our exact position in our society? What do we know about ourselves? Am I another unknown citizen in this world? Who knows …
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