The Trial by Franz Kafka is a surreal and haunting novel about a man named Josef K., who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested one morning. The authorities refuse to tell him what crime he’s accused of, and although he remains free to go about his life, he is pulled deeper into a bizarre and opaque legal system. As Josef tries to understand the charges and defend himself, he encounters a maze of bureaucratic obstacles, nonsensical hearings, and unhelpful officials.
The novel explores themes like alienation, the absurdity of authority, guilt without cause, and the helplessness of the individual in the face of incomprehensible institutions. Ultimately, Josef is worn down by the system and is executed “like a dog” without ever knowing what he was accused of.
Kafka never finished the book, but it was published posthumously and is considered one of his most important and influential works.
