Please post your four or five (approximate) sentence interpretation of a passage, or a motif, or feature, of Kafka's The Trial in the 'comments' section below.
Feel free to respond to other posts which interest you.
Art Strum
A blog attached to the Pacific Lutheran University course, "The Revolutionary Sensibility in German Literature, Philosophy, and Art," Fall Semester, 2011.
Passage: pg.230, "It was near...to do so." This is the passage where K. is laid down to be killed.
ReplyDeleteInterpretation: During this whole passage, K. is in what seems like a dream-like and apathetic state. It's like K. knew this day was coming, so he basically acts like he doesn't care anymore. K. just gave up, which is why he is in the dream-like state. He wanted to take the knife and kill himself, but he didn't end up grabbing the knife because he's so apathetic he doesn't "have the strength necessary to do so". I believe this passage relates to the recurring animalistic motif throughout the book, because he's being treated like a pig geting ready for slaughter; and being slaughtered for who knows what.
"'How can I go to the bank if I'm under arrest?'...'But in that case, even the notification of arrest scarcely seems necessary,' said K.,"(17).
ReplyDeleteAs K. speaks to the inspector, he is unclear as to why he is allowed to go about his normal, everyday business affairs, when he is supposed to be "under arrest"; the very notification of arrest seems pointless if he K. is to face no consequences. The reader can relate to K. through this passage - due in part to Kafka's obscure writing fashion - because both the reader and K. face internal uncertainties. For example, society has created an image/understanding of the word "arrest" that is questioned in this passage. Both K. and the reader are forced to question the definition of arrest, seeing as how there are no evident consequences, and no answer as to why K. has been arrested. This scene compels the reader to question the very state of their own existence/position in society, and urges one to analyze how much control each of us really possess over our own lives. Are we all under a similar type of "arrest" in our positions in society?
Passage: "He was no longer a client, he was the lawyer's dog. If the lawyer had ordered him to crawl under the bed, as into a kennel, and bark, he would have done so gladly." (195)
ReplyDeleteThis passage in the book is one of the many times that Kafka relates characters back to having animalistic qualities. This portion of the book goes into much detail about how the character, Block, acts like a dog and shows how the characters around him also treat him like a dog while showing very little signs of think of him as anything else. In relation to the lawyer, it would seem that the main reason for Block to be willing to endure this treatment is to gain help from the lawyer as while as attempting to keep him from discovering that he has other lawyers helping him work on his case. Leni is fine with treating Block like a dog, going as far as to command him what to do around the lawyer and when to do it. As this chapter progresses, there seems to become an even more dream like state happening with Block becoming more dog like then before, not acting like he is bring degraded by acting like this, almost like it is a normal action for him.
page 55: “Oh I see” said K. and nodded “they’re probably law books and its the nature of this judicial system that one is condemned not only in innocence but also in ignorance.” K in the previous pages is attempting to get a grip on what has actually happened to him, in this case turning to anger about his status as a convicted innocent. This is a recurring theme throughout the book, as K struggles to understand what he did to warrant an arrest. For apparently to him and to the audience who is reading the novel, K has not done anything wrong, and he should not have been arrested. His anger is certainly warranted, and the somewhat surprising theme of the book is that he is not more angry, but rather accepting of his fate.
ReplyDeletePage 100: But there was no one behind the door, his uncle returned, not in disappointment, for her not listening struck him as an even greater act of malice, but no doubt embittered. This passage shows how strangely people act throughout the novel. In this instance, his uncle is mad that someone is not eavesdropping on their private conversation, a complete reversal of what one would expect. This novel is unpredictable in this way, as K seems to be one of the normal reactors. It is somewhat closely related to how people sometimes appear to act like animals in the novel, although in this case the peculiarity is not quite as pronounced as it is in those cases.
I picked the quotes "You don't have to consider everything true, you just have to consider it necessary" (223). "And you should talk less in general; almost everything you said up 'til now could have been inferred from your behavior, only if you'd said a few words, and it wasn't terribly favorable to you in any case" (1.7). I felt that these quotes had a lot to do with the amount of lies that are told in society today. No matter what situation one a lie can almost always be found in a conversation. I feel that this is a re-occurring theme in the novel, that Kant writes that lying is so prevalent in society that even if its wrong it is able to help people in certain instances figure out what the real truth is.
ReplyDelete"He was no longer a client, he was the lawyer's dog. If the lawyer had ordered him to crawl under the bed, as into a kennel, and bark, he would have done so gladly." (pg. 195)
ReplyDeleteIn this passage Kafka is referring to the character of Block who has been living with the lawyer and secretly using other lawyers on the side. I believe that he is characterized as an animal because it shows how little power he really has in his life. He is constricted when it comes to his freedom and thus he has no power or really any say in his life because he has to rely on the lawyer to help him out in his trial. He allows this treatment because it is the only way he can keep his freedom of being alive. This theme of restricted freedom relates to other characters in the book including K who, like Block, can only be helped by others and can really do nothing to help himself in his own trial.
155, "'Of course the bed is very poorly situated in front of the door. That's the door the judge I'm currently painting always uses... You'd lose any respect you have for judges if you could hear the curses I shower on him as he climbs across my bed in the morning.'"
ReplyDeleteIn this passage, the judge doesn't appear to have respect for the painter's personal space. The artist doesn't seem to mind too much because he did give his key to the judge so that he could come in that door. This is a recurring theme through the novel. People don't seem to be aware of other's personal space.
http://www.kafka-online.info/the-trial-page97.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kafka-online.info/the-trial-page98.html
p. 97-98
"That's the figure of Justice... it's actually the figure of justice and the goddess of victory all in one …"That is not a good combination," said K. with a smile. "Justice needs to remain still, otherwise the scales will move about and it won't be possible to make a just verdict."...it seemed to be a perfect depiction of the god of the hunt."
This passage reflects the hopeless nature of the trial. The idea of justice is combined with that of victory, representing the arrogant nature of the court, believing that it has already won the battle. K’s comment about Justice remaining still shows that the trial has been set against him from the start. Combined, the figures are shown to be similar of that to the god of the hunt, which may mean that the court simply preys on innocent people and punishes them for the fun of it. The idea that these are represented by gods seems to suggest that these ideas are sacred to the court and it will never turn away from them.
-Jeb
The motif I have chosen is the child-like qualities that K encounters. The first coming from the student who carries away the woman on page 61. The student is child like because he is possessive of the woman as a child would be of a toy, and goes as far as to bite at K when K tries to stop him. The second instance is the scene in which the uncle ejects the maid from the lawyers room. He then suspects her of spying through the door, and springs to his feet to check. She is not spying, and the Uncle is disappointed that she isnt there. This instance is child like because of the sudden action of the Uncle, and because of the silliness of his suspicion.
ReplyDelete“One man who was apparently in charge of the others and drew K.'s attention first, was got up in some sort of dark leather garment that left his neck and upper chest, as well as his entire arms, bare.” page 81
ReplyDeleteThis to me seems that there are many episodes of violence in this novel that essentially shows the unjust nature of the state in which K. lives in. The flogger punishes the guards who arrested K. in a closet in K.'s office building. But this passage just shows me the world that K. lives in and how unjust and unfair the people are in this novel. No matter how low or how high the person is in society.
"In the little room itself, however, stood three men, stooping beneath the low ceiling. A candle stuck on a shelf provided light. "What's going on in here?" K. blurted out in his excitement, but not loudly" (80-81).
ReplyDeleteThis passage closely relates to the light and dark comparison that we made earlier in Tristan and Isolde. In The Trial, the three men in the dimly lit room decide to confront K. about them losing their jobs and not being able to support their families. The darkness is in favor of the three men because they not only have an invincible demeanor pertaining to confrontation with K., but they also catch K. off guard. The little light that is provided in the room stands for the small amount of reality and sanity, in other words, K.
Revolutionary Sensibility "Block's animal characteristics"
ReplyDeleteHe was no longer a client, he was the lawyers dog. If the lawyer had ordered him to crawl under the bed, as into a kennel, and bark, he would have done so gladly. (pg. 195 the Trail by Kafka Franz)
I think that he acts this way for many different reasons other than he does not want to upset his lawyer. I think he acts like a dog because he wants to please his lawyer so that he will keep on using his contacts to help Block out. Also Block is acting like this because he knows that it is illegal to have more than just one lawyer which Block has more than just one and he does not want to get into more when his trail is moving on slowly which if he did get into trouble again it could speed up his trail and instead of having a favorable outcome it could change for the worse. The irony of Block acting like a dog is that his lawyer is no stupid man and is already aware that he has more than just one lawyer.
Pg. 183 "I'm going to see the Lawyer now to dismiss him..." and pg. 230-231 the death of K.
ReplyDeleteIn both passages there features animal-like or child like qualities between the adults. When K tries to fire his lawyer there is a struggle between him and Leni that doesn't represent true maturity. Then when K. is killed, his killers are displaying the knife to him in a fashion that reminds me of the child's game monkey in the middle. These passages also show a change in K.'s attitude toward the trial. At first he wants to be done with all of it then at the end he is looking for help.
-Kaitlyn
Pg.223 “You don’t have to consider everything true, you just have to consider it neccessary” this quote is taken out of the conversation between the priest and K about truths.
ReplyDeleteThe power of truth is something that today is given manly to the media. Through news TV, radio, billboards and other such devices, the “truth” is spread. And if this is the only opinion you are aloud to hear by your government than that is what you consider true. North Koreans were not born with the desire to worship Kim Jong Ill, they were merly since birth told that this was the only way. And in this way the US sees them as crazy, but to them its all they know.
-Cody Hatton
(Pg.231 With failing sight K. saw how the men drew near his face, leaning cheek-to-cheek to observe the verdict. “Like a dog!” he said; it seemed as though the shame was to outlive him.)
ReplyDelete(Pg 185 “Block,” said Leni in a tone of warning, lifting him up a bit by the collar. “Leave that fur alone and listen to the lawyer.”)
I found these two passages interesting because they made me ask a lot of questions. If K.’s judgment was that he was to be a dog and to live in shame, why was Block living like a dog already if he is still on trial? Is Block still on trial or has he been judged? Is it not worse living in fear of judgment than to be judged? What are they guilty of that they should be so shameful? On the other hand aren’t dogs said to be loyal and man’s best friend. Why is it so shameful then to be seen as a dog? If all of these things are inevitable what is the need for representation? The key motifs in these two quotes are the animalistic characteristics and the idea of shame being the ultimate punishment.
- Nicole Jordan
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ReplyDeleteOn page 183, when Block finds out that K. is dismissing his lawyer, he flails his arm around yelling “He’s dismissing his lawyer!” and runs around the kitchen repeating that. Leni tries to attack K., she actually assaults Block to get him out of the way and chases K. to the lawyer’s room and is reaching through to door to try and grab him. This struck me as very animalistic behavior, whilst reading I represented Block as a monkey and Leni as a lion.
ReplyDelete