Classics Club #9: The Trial by Franz Kafka
The Trial
by Franz Kafka is one of the masterpieces of existential literature. Or so it is said. Since I’m not up to date on my existential philosophy, the book was largely wasted on me. It’s always a challenge to read books that come at life from a different world view than one’s own, but to give them a fair chance requires wrestling with their philosophical underpinnings. I’m not at a point in my reading life or my intellectual life where I’m interested in exploring the existential experiences described by Franz Kafka in The Trial.
Kafka certainly knows how to create atmosphere and bring a story to life, but the problems for me were the absurdist plot and the unappealing main character, Josef K. While I admire Kafka’s craft as a writer, and acknowledge The Trial as an important work of literature, it’s simply not to my taste at this stage of my life.
The Trial by Franz Kafka
First edition Berlin: Verlag Die Schmiede, 1925
Kindle edition Ware, Hertfordshire, England: Wordsworth Editions, May 1, 2012
Print length: 193 pages
‘Since I’m not up to date on my existential philosophy, the book was largely wasted on me.’ – yes, I can relate to that. I’ve read Metamorphosis which might be an easier read than some of his other stuff but it was rather depressing. I skim read some of his other short stories but I can’t say that I’m attracted to his writing.