Natalie's Essay Topics

Theme One:

At the end of the novel K. has a conversation with the Priest. During this conversation the Priest tells K. the story of The Law. This story has many parallel connections with The Trial. Both K and the protagonist in the story are attempting to enter into a place that seems almost impossible. Like the guard in the story stated, no one ever entered past the door. Similarly in the society K is living in it is almost unheard of to have an innocent verdict. Other similarities arise between the guard, and the policemen in K.’s society. Both seem to be following laws and rules they themselves do not even understand. Other similarities exist, but overall I think that the story that the Priest tells K. reflects his own life and his inevitable outcome.

Theme Two:

In K.'s society there is an omnipresent government, who uses their abilities to control the individual. The government seems to be able to govern almost every single aspect of an individual’s life. We see this manifested in the numerous encounters K. has with government officials, or individuals associated with the government. For example when he goes to visit his lawyer and a member of the court comes out from the dark corner. Also when his arresting officers are getting beaten in his banks closet, and later when he meet with the Priest and it turns out he also works with the government.

Theme Three:

K.’s eventual outcome was different then that of Blocks or any of the others that he met in the court offices. All of those people had accepted their fate and did little to fight it. In the beginning it seems that most had been like K. frantically trying to clear their name, but then they accepted it as their fate. K. on the other hand never did this, and that is the reason for his eventual outcome.

Theme Four:

It seems that in K.’s society, and accused person is doomed to fail. From the beginning of K.’s arrest when he is not told the actual reason he is being arrested, it seems that his fate has been decided. The way in which the court system works makes it so that no individual can ever succeed. It lack of structure and unorganized nature does not allow for this. When K. has his first court hearing, the judge tells him that he is not allowed to see the book with all the laws inside it. Also there is an emphasize placed on who you know, and what your connections are, rather then what is the actual truth and facts.