THE TRIAL

Text: The Trial by Franz Kafka

Dates: Monday, July 14th at 7pm

Location: Manhattan Federal Plaza w/ Connor & Nathan

In this study, we'll take a close look at Kafka’s novel, The Trial — a timeless portrait of alienation before the senselessness of modern bureaucracy. We’ll be focusing on an early scene where the protagonist, K, arrives to a packed courtroom for a preliminary hearing. Seduced by the crowd, he launches into a diatribe about his trial while closely watching the audience for their reactions. As K vacillates between confidence and despair, we see the immense vulnerability of an individual in the face of collective judgment. 

In this study, we'll use Kafka's work to think about the complex dynamics of being an individual before the demands of an inescapable (virtual) public — and we'll practice modes of attention to the vicissitudes of the crowd.