My Term Paper first few paragraphs

Helplessness in “The Trial”

Written in 1925, “The Trial” is Franz Kafka’s commentary on corrupt court systems that exist, and will always continue to exist in society. To Kafka, society was always controlled by something greater than any one man, greater than the human being. This showed in almost all of Kafka’s works, from less known novels like “Amerika”, to better known novels such as “Metamorphosis” and “The Trial”. His characters, like those of Albert Camus, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky are preoccupied, if not controlled by the institutions of the societies that they live in. These characters develop of sort of helplessness that no human being should have to endure. In “The Trial” the main character Josef K, experiences this type of a situation. One in which he has no control of his own fate, or at least he thinks so. Therefore, in “The Trial” Franz Kafka demonstrates the power that institutions have over the individual; revealing through Josef K the physical and mental helplessness that the court system can cause over man.

Born in Prague, Bohemia Franz Kafka had a father who was very interested in social movements. This gave Kafka the ability to see the institutions at an extremely young age.  Because of this, Franz was sent to German schools instead of the Czech schools in Prague ("Franz Kafka Biography"). His childhood was an early stepping stone to his view of the world. Although Kafka was Jewish he went to the German schools, and lived in Prague, which at the end of the 19^th century had become anti-Semitic towards Jews. Since there were many riots, this was probably this start of the feeling of helplessness that is so evident in his novels and short stories.

At the beginning of “The Trial” it becomes evident that the main character Josef K, is being tried for a crime. Yet, throughout the entire book Kafka does not reveal neither to the reader, nor to the main character the exact crime that he is being tried for. When he is first tried with the crime, Josef thinks that it must be a practical joke set by his friends and colleagues because it is his birthday. As reality sets in, K begins to realize the dire situation that has overcome him. He attempts to appeal the case, but realizes that he is fighting a hopeless fight. Both the police and court system seem to give him no options, as they have complete control of his situation, basically control of his life. This is when the first signs of paranoia start to appear.