The Trial Lesson Plan

Who is Josef K.? Describe his character.

Students should identify the few things we know concretely about Josef K.: he's a 30-year-old man who lives in a city and works in a bank. Beyond that, he doesn’t seem to have close relationships: no spouse, no children, and no close friends. He has a lover, Elsa, whom we never meet, and to whom he doesn’t seem to have much attachment. Then, consider K.'s personality: he's ambitious and confident, even arrogant—no nonsense with this guy. K. thinks he is entitled to respect and authority, and especially where women are concerned. As the story begins, K. is assured of his innocence, annoyed and indignant at his arrest, and...