8 hours ago
2
I happen to agree with all the main theories about what the book stands for, and knowing Kafka i do believe that even if he got to fully finish the novel, it would have been left up for interpretation what the meaning of it really is, and it probably has multiple meanings (as i said, i agree with most of the mainline theories about what it represents).
However, I think you can look at it also in a different light. I believe K may have been arrested rightfully.
I believe K could have been arrested for sexual assault, let me explain:
First lets start off with how K treats and looks at women throughout the novel. We have Fraulein Burstner, Leni, and Elsa as the women I would like to focus on (ill slightly touch up on the woman at the court). Its clear that K is attracted to Fraulein Burstner, we can say that he is obsessed with her to a point. He creeps through his door to hear or see her coming in, repeatedly tries getting in contact with her, and she is the only woman in the whole novel that he thinks about from time to time. He never really think of Elsa or Leni outside from scenes with them (there isnt a scene with Elsa, shes literally mentioned only twice but thats something to note as well, i'll get to that soon). He is concerned about his relationship with Fraulein Burstner and how the trial is impacting it. He sexually assaults her in the first chapter of the book, that scene is quite telling to me. Once the ordeal is finished, as K leaves her room to head back to his, he feels like "hes done the right thing", and is happy with what hes done. (Im not quoting the book exactly, but it was something along those lines). He doesnt see anything wrong in what he did to Burstner. I will come back to her in a bit.
Lets move on to his relationships with Leni and Elsa. Elsa is his girlfriend who is a prostitute, however we never see K spend any time with her, or even think about her at all during the whole book. The only other time when she is mentioned, is when Leni takes over K and asks him if he has a partner, and he shows her the pictures of Elsa. K goes on to make out with Leni (and probably do more) on the first day they met, despite him being in a relationship. I think its quite clear he doesnt really value Elsa all that much. Is it possible that he could have seen her as "easy to get with" because she is a prostitute? Possibly. Is he using her just for pleasure? More than likely. K is a sexually driven man. He left the meeting with the lawyer and the judge just to go alone in a room with Leni. I mean he only caught a glimpse of her once, and somehow it was all that was on his mind as he immediately wanted an excuse to leave and go see her when she smashed the plates, despite being in talks people of high value that could help him in his case, which he doesnt really know anything about. No, he chooses pleasure over that, he chooses to go to Leni. From the exchanges with Leni we see that he is quite jealous, as we saw in the scene with Block, to the point where he gets abusive. There was absolutely no reason (atleast to me) for him to assume that Block was Lenis' lover, however he still gets angry, even grabs her by the hands and holds her tightly, physically abusing her in order for her to let him know. I think this speaks a lot about his character. In many occasions he chooses pleasure and his own sexual desires. He assaults Fraulein Burstner, is obsessed with her and tries his hardest just to speak with her, creeping on her.. He forgets about his own partner just at the slight thought of Leni pleasuring him, neglects his actual partner and so on. The scene with the woman at the court, i mean he really makes it seem in his head like shes throwing herself at him, and i realized he seems to think this about pretty much all the female characters.
The whole novel is filled with sex related stuff. The woman getting groped while K was giving his speech ; The magistrate having pornographic material on his desk ; the assault and stalking of Fraulein Burstner ; K ruffles through the stockings and panties of Burstner... Sex is something that is clearly represented in the novel. But why? Well lets break it down.
First off the assault of Burstner. K doesn't see anything wrong with what he did. Could this mean that, if he was getting tried for sexual assault, and he did commit the crime.. could it mean that he wouldnt recognize it as something "bad" or "a crime"? I think so, i mean really that line stood out to me. Is it quite possible that K doesn't realize his crime? OR is it possible that he deep down knows of his crime? What makes me think that? Well, in the scene with the painter (personally, my favorite scene in the book), the painter lets K know about the 3 types of acquittals. The Definitive Acquittal, Apparent Acquittal, and Delayed Judgment. Once K asks about how he can have the definitive acquittal the painter lets him know that its done by.... being innocent. K says that hes not guilty, and the painter repeatedly reminds him that he isnt guilty**. However, K doesnt seem very satisfied with this answer, he seeks to inquire how he can get to the apparent acquittal or the delayed judgment.** If he is not guilty like he says he is.. Wouldnt he have been confident in him winning the case, and would have went for the definitive acquittal? (the painter does imply that it is very hard to get this acquittal, but that is because they dont trial someone who they dont have a lot of evidence of). Of course i think there are multiple meanings in this scene and about the jurisdiction process and system, and about how the world really functions, but my theory is just ONE theory that i think its worth to look at.
Next, the scene at the church. What REALLY stands out to me is that the prison chaplain knows what K is like. First off, he tells him the case is going badly, and that many think of him to be guilty. The prison chaplain says he should stop getting "help" from women. How does he know this? In what way could the prison chaplain have acquired this information about what K does with women? We know that he has knowledge of the case, because he tells him how the case is going.. could it be that the case has something to do with what hes warning him about? When K objects his statement, the chaplain seemingly gets mad and tells him "Cant you see two steps ahead of you?" as if something is very obvious. I think he said this because maybe Ks case has something to do with women. The chaplain presents K with multiple ways of looking at scenarios at stories, giving him multiple perspectives of the story about the man and the guard. K quickly assumed the man (him, in this context) is being deceived and lied to.. while the chaplain tells him not to make conclusions so quickly, and to look into stuff from different perspectives as well. Is K failing to recognize what he did as a crime? Or just doesnt want to recognize what he did as a crime? Possibly. Should K evaluate his position better? Absolutely, and thats something thats present throughout the whole book. K even notices in himself, that he isnt very weary of whats going on, and is tunnel visioned and should be more careful and aware. (like, when the painter opens the door and reveals the court).
Another really, REALLY important scene to me that i haven't seen anyone pick up on is the scene with the woman at the court. When K goes to see the books that are on the magistrates table, he seems pornographic material, and a novel called "How Grete Was Plagued by Her Husband Hams". OF COURSE i realize the mainline theory for that this scene is, but i cant help but think of this: Why is the magistrate specifically analyzing pornographic material, and how a husband plagued his wife. Why for Ks case? Why during Ks speech, specifically during his speech, does the woman get groped? Is it a mere coincidence these two things happen? Oh and yeah, Ks jealousy is shown in this scene again! With him getting so angry at the women when she went off with the student, dismissing her completely (as he says to her)... but the he just goes on and follows her to see where she goes? This man is obsessed with women.
The final thing id like to talk about is the last chapter. K doesn't try to argue with the two men at all, he accepts what is happening. Nobody has even told him that theyre from the court, nobody has said anything about what theyre here to do, he just goes along with them. Hes already dressed in black and putting on gloves, what guest was he expecting? On the way to the place of his execution, he sees Fraulein Burstner. Still, even at this moment, he follows her and he accepts what is happening to him. He lets her guide him. I could see this as a way that it all somehow leads back to her, that even at the end she leads him to his death. Recall the events that happened with Fraulein Burstner**. I think we can say, that his own sexual desires lead him to his death, his sexual desires lead to his arrest, the sexual acts he does and desires he has that he doesnt recognize as "wrong". Or he does at the end of the book (or at parts of the book) realizes what hes done, and accepts his fate at the end.**
Could it also be adultery? Could it be both sexual assault and adultery? Yes. At the time of writing this novel, Kafka was 29. K is also 29, turning 30. Kafka had been writing letters to a friend of his partner about how he doesnt want to be with his partner (it is also assumed he may have cheated on Felice with her friend). Her friend shows her the letters and they break up. Kafka dubs this event as The Trial of the Broken Engagement.
Let me know what you guys think (:
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