Some of the greatest stories, especially ones containing the most thought-provoking topics, are often better left unfinished, and Kafka's brusque collection of works are amongst the most poignant of them all, leaving the reader with much more than she/he could have asked for. What is exceptional about the Trial is not only the brilliant mystification and irrationality of everything that happens in it (the Kafkaesque portions), but how clairvoyant it all seemed to be in its time. Little could Kafka know how in only twenty years time, Germany would fall under the Nazi regime, yet how similar the seemingly farcical agents in the Trial appear to represent the Gestapo, and the totalitarian state which is so elusive and abstruse can be compared to Hitler's unethical rule. Now I don't believe that Kafka directly foresaw the ascension of Adolf Hitler, but what he did perceive was the general course of a increasingly static, tortuous and duplicitous bureaucracy. The reason why this novel functions best as a dystopic nightmare is that it represents society at its worst, but it's scary how real it is. ( )

Most likely the story came to the author in a dream. Its confusing and grotesque structure and characters remind me very much a nightmare. What if others would start publishing their own dreams, muddled as they are?

I think I should try the old translation. The new translation has a chapter of just leftover pages. It‘s my understanding the first translation was out together in order to be more fluid. I had a hard time with finding the point of the story. ( )

Josef K. is under arrest, and he doesn't know why. He works at a bank; he's a CFO. He is helpless in defending himself and figuring out the bureaucratic system. He is advised by a relative, a lawyer, a painter, and others. His path is unclear and absurd. Reading the book to its completion leads to more questions than answers. Some messages, themes, and concepts I wondered about while and after reading include:
Conventional wisdom doesn't give you a way out of the game of life.
Darkness is the reality for some people
Is it a sign of youth to care about one's image?
Is original sin part of the human dilemma?
Institutions designed to keep us on track often lead us astray.
Are we all standing at our own doors and not letting ourselves in?
Beware of mindless compliance.
You're probably getting in your own way.
Life is the trial
What does it feel like to be on trial for moral turpitude
Who are the conduits for meeting the influential people you need to further your life's goals?
There are so many contradictions in life
Are all bureaucratic organizations corrupt?
There are gatekeepers at different levels of authority.
Are we all caught up in the maze of life? ( )

המשפט הראשון מדהים. הפרק הראשון והאחרון נהדרים. הפרקים האחרים טובים כל אחד לעצמו, אבל ביחד הם לא ספר. זה לא רק שהספר לא גמור על ידי קפקא, זה שקפקא לא באמת ידע מה יהיה מבנה הספר ומה יהיה הסיפור. הוא ידע בדיוק מה הנמשל אבל לא ידע לספר את המשל. ואולי, קפקא כמו גאון אחר שמת צעיר, שוברט, ידע לכתוב פנינים קצרות ונכשל ביצירות גדולות. ולמרות כל זאת ספר חובה ( )