amazing. definitely doesn't pull its punches where it matters most in the absolute lunacy of the "justice" system that K. is being put through. hardly an easy read, though, and i found myself having to physically stop myself out of depression. the two policemen getting flogged was fun, though. the story that the priest gives to K. at the cathedral was nice, though admittedly it would help if i understood more of it, and the first courtroom scene was invigorating. like a dog indeed.
Note: I did not read the Fragments that were included after the actual ending of the text.
One thing I want to touch on briefly is the disconnections in the text. The way the book flows feels kind of like a dream, or a collection of vignettes, like someone is telling you about something, but can't recall everything, only certain moments of some kind of possible clarity or importance. The one specific disconnect I want to mention is the one between the rest of the text and the ending. Now, from what I understand, Kafka had the end and beginning written, but the middle went unfinished. While this actually explains the writing disconnect, I see another purpose that this could possibly serve. Kafka wrote the book like K. was sentenced: with the ending already in mind. As it was stated several times in the book, it had already been determined …
Note: I did not read the Fragments that were included after the actual ending of the text.
One thing I want to touch on briefly is the disconnections in the text. The way the book flows feels kind of like a dream, or a collection of vignettes, like someone is telling you about something, but can't recall everything, only certain moments of some kind of possible clarity or importance. The one specific disconnect I want to mention is the one between the rest of the text and the ending. Now, from what I understand, Kafka had the end and beginning written, but the middle went unfinished. While this actually explains the writing disconnect, I see another purpose that this could possibly serve. Kafka wrote the book like K. was sentenced: with the ending already in mind. As it was stated several times in the book, it had already been determined that K. was guilty. The specific details of his guilt aren't necessary, similar to how it is not necessary for the reader to understand everything that occurs before K.'s sudden execution. All the reader needs is the vignette's, these ideas and theories on how the law in this world works, and the idea that the end was always in mind, and was always decided. I don't know, I'm kind of just spit balling, but what I do know is that I will be thinking about this work for a long time.
