O Processo (1925)

H1.32.7

Clearly, "The Trial" by Franz Kafka is essential reading for anybody who is serious about literature and understanding modern society. As a bureaucrat myself, I should be offended by the entire premise of the book, but I can appreciate the harm that can be caused to people by the combination of a totalitarian state run by a faceless bureaucracy.

In this particular translation reviewed here, please beware that in the translator's preface to the novel, he gives away the entire (surprise) ending to the story. Being a first-time reader, I was not amused, as he spoiled the sudden, rather abrupt and dramatic ending for me.

No need to go into the plot here, as it is apparently well-known to most people who read. The writing is surprisingly absurd, as he invents surreal events that could not happen in real life. In some ways, he was on the early cutting edge of the Dadaist movement championed by Dali and other artists. Also, although the story itself is genius, the actual writing is often difficult to get through, because it does not flow well. Perhaps it is a function of the translation, but I found the actual language to be less than poetic.

Kafka was one paranoid dude, with a seemingly genuine fear of government which I do not share (I think corporations have much more power over the average person than the government does these days.) Nevertheless, as a Jewish person in Germany in the 1920s, I guess you could say Kafka's paranoia over the government was well-justified, given the terrible events that were to happen shortly. Anybody who can even conceive of the basic story of "The Trial" must have been a very unhappy camper indeed. ( )

Since I read another Kafka book in schools this is my second Kafka I read. And I am very impressed. The wonderful german and the very strange and amazing story is just two wonderful things that make this book really amazing. Highly recommended. ( )

OB-4

Rated: B
Fanciful farce that foretells the injustices of a totalitarian state and its inevitable tragedy. So well imagined and written from the prospective of a fallible character charged and arrested for never revealed crime. ( )