French philosopher and writer Albert Camus once said that Franz Kafka's "The Trial" offered everything but confirmed nothing. This is the precise reason why I found this novel to be a exasperating yet profound read.
"The Trial" deals with the story of Joseph K, an ordinary man who finds out that he is arrested, for reasons that remain unknown to him. As he tries to navigate through his predicament and extricate his charges, he is acquainted with the chaos that characterises the nightmarish reality he lives in. Eventually, he spirals into insanity, trying to gain control over his predicament, being certain about nothing.
While K's world is certainly gruesome, it is a reflection of the absurd reality we live in. While our realities are not exactly like K's, many times in our lives we can be thrust into our own 'trials', situations which are beyond our control and comprehension. Kafka accurately depicts this absurdism through this "Kafkaesque" world, and through this world, forces us to face the unsettling aspects of our own realities.
K, instead of focusing on what he is in control of, gets preoccupied with and is filled with trepidation over his elusive trial, and eventually feels absolutely helpless. It is this consternation which is his true torment. Our lives are just as absurd as K's trial. Thus is it futile to search for meaning within life, which we will never understand. Instead of following K's footsteps, Kafka urges us to concentrate on what is within our realm of understanding and control.
Whether intentional or not, this book is frustrating to read through . There are many portions which I found far too slow-paced and boring, especially towards the beginning. This certainly hampered my progress with this novel. Kafka's work is not to be read to enjoy the literary aspect, but rather to ponder over the existential inferences one can construe from it. There are a plethora of unique interpretations one can individually draw, which make this book worthwhile.
This is a novel which I strongly encourage everyone to read, and interpret on their own. Despite its flaws, the central message could not be more clear.
Comments
Post a Comment