The Narrative Art of Kafka’s The Trial

Han Wu

doi:10.54691/sq78xj55

Authors

Han Wu School of Literature and Journalism, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/sq78xj55

Keywords:

Franz Kafka; The Trial; narrative art; narrative style.

Abstract

Franz Kafka is regarded as one of the most important authors of 20^th century. He, throughout his whole life, had produced a plethora of profound yet influential masterpieces. all of them have left a significant mark on the modernist literature development. Kafka, as a master of Expressionism, continues to provoke reflection by his art. And The Trial, one of the “loneliness trilogy,” unfolds the exact his style. And the novel shifts between a dual perspective. And it could make a sense of immediacy and reality for the reader, besides it also allows own presence to emerge at certain moments. He employs the “anti-novel” technique, arranging the plots, time and space. This way enables it could present deeper meanings. As for the narrative method, Kafka’s calm and objective prose deliver the absurd with an almost matter-of-fact reality. Consequently, it reveals the sophistication of his narrative art into full view.

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