Kafka and Phenomenology: Josef K.

's Search for Information

Author(s): Cyrena Norman Pondrom
Source: Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature, Vol. 8, No. 1, The Novel in England
and Europe (Winter, 1967), pp. 78-95
Published by: University of Wisconsin Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1207131 .
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KAFKA AND
PHENOMENOLOGY:
JOSEF K.'S SEARCH
FOR INFORMATION
CyrenaNormanPondrom

thefoundations
efforts
to "contemplate
Reflecting
uponhislifetime
of a Dog" conthedog of Kafka's"Investigations
of ourexistence"
stir
he
had
caused.
himself
the
"People beganto
upon
gratulated
he
said.
aftera fashion,
to collectdata,"
"Theymadea
investigate
But
at least,althoughtheyareneverlikelyto go farther.
beginning
Andthoughthetruthwillnotbe discovafterall thatis something.
can thatstagebe reached-yet
eredbysuchmeans-never
theythrow
In that
ramifications
offalsehood."'
lighton someoftheprofounder
in a storywritten
contained
comment,
veryneartheend of his life,
and therelationhis insight,
Kafkatoldus muchabouthismethod,
have
own
efforts
to probe"die
would
to
Kafka's
countless
critics
ship
Lebens"(B, p. 257). The comment
is as applicFundamente
unseres
ableto Der Proze/f
it
much
later
forit
his
as
is
to
work,
(The Trial)
it shouldremind
us thattheworldKafkaknewwasa worldofmeanofmultiple
of "truth"thatcould
ingful
appearances,
interpretations,
be approached
falsehood.
onlythrough
A clearunderstanding
of the significance
of the dog'sobservationhas severalimportant
for
our
implications
approachto Kafka
FranzKafka,"Investigations
ofa Dog," in SelectedShortStoriesofFranz
Kafka,trans.Willa and EdwinMuir (New York,1952), p. 225; Beschreibung
einesKampfes,pp. 261-62; hereafter
in textas "B" (italicsmine).
abbreviated
but both
from
work
are
taken
a
Kafka's
standard
from
translation,
Quotations
I
and
have
emended
German
In
are
cited.
a
few
editions
English
quotations
thetranslation
and have indito conform
to theGermandictionmoreliterally
to
cated the changeby an asteriskbeforethe changedwords.All references
Kafka'sGermantextsarefromGesammelte
Werke,ed. Max Brod (New York).
When citingcriticalstudiesnotavailablein English,I havequotedtheGerman
and placeda translation
in the notes.
1

VIII,

WISCONSIN

STUDIES

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of any singleone of his works.First,and

and our interpretation
but
it
should
guideus to see Kafka,notbyhimself,
fundamentally,
of one of theimportant
in theperspective
changesin man'swayof
of theworldis
man's
the
view
that
at
the
world:
knowledge
looking
from
thekinds
us
it
should
safeguard
Secondly,
phenomenological.
been one
whichhave,nevertheless,
in interpretation
of dogmatism
to
it suggests
of theconstant
plaguesof Kafkastudies.And,finally,
Kafka'sfundaof Der Prozep/
whichrecognizes
us an interpretation
of anysinglehuman
thetruthfulness
mentalagnosticism
concerning
perception.
itselfis the label appliedto the methodof
Phenomenology
thathas been theoretically
the
world
expoundedin the
describing
Bohemian
Edmund
a
twentieth
Husserl,
century
by
Jewwhowrote
firstformulations
of his
in German,whoseexceedingly
important
and
in
between
1913
1900
were
(that
philosophy published Germany
is,at leastoneyearbeforeDer Prozepwasbegun). It is a philosophy
not of the
as the foundation,
whichsees the humanconsciousness
the
worlditselfbut of themeaningof theworld,and it emphasizes
A
and
the
close
world
are
consciousness
comparison
entangled.
ways
betweenthe assumptions
aboutthe wayman can knowhis world
of Husserlwillshow
evidentin Der Prozepand thebasicassertions
It is,ofcourse,nota newidea
somestriking
similarities.
us,I think,
to sometwentieth
to see Kafkain relationship
century
philosophical
a useful
ideas.In fact,Max Bense,in Die TheorieKafkas,provides
reminder
aboutthephilosophical
of literature:
implications
habenabernichtnurdiepositiven
Wissenschaften
eine
Tatsaichlich
nursieeineontologische
Tendenz.
... Auch
nicht
Seinsthematik,
verfolgen
eine
Literatur,
Dichtung,
jederText-dasThemaderPhilologie-enthalten
aneinerontologischen
sindzuletzt
orientiert
Tendenz.3
Seinsthematik,
Vol. I (1900), Vol. II (1901) "Philosophieals
LogischeUntersuchungen,
I
Wissenschaft,"
Logos (1910-11); trans.QuentinLauer in Phenomstrenge
and
the
Crisis
of
enology
Philosophy(New York,1965). Ideen zu einerreinen
und phanamenologischen
Ph~nomenologie
Philosophie,Vol. I (1913); trans.
to thisworkwillbe
Ideas (New York,1962). References
W. R. Boyce-Gibson,
number
rather
than
to
avoid
forboth
section
givingreferences
page,
givenby
Germanand Englisheditions.
3 Max Bense,Die TheorieKafkas(Kbln,1952),p. 13. "As a matterof fact,
an
the exactsciencesare not alone in havinga theoryof being,in following
everytext--thesubjectof philolpoetry,
ontologicaltendency.... Literature,
orientedin an ontological
ogy-containa theoryof beingand are ultimately
direction."
2

FRANZ KAFKA

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79

And WilhelmEmrich,in his excellentstudyof Kafka,includesa

But Bense is
section"Denkenund Sein: Kafkaund Heidegger."4
"Fundmentalonconcernedto relateKafkato Heidegger's
chiefly
from
in
of
the
him
in
the
to
see
and
changes philosophy
light
tologie"
in theopeningpages
whichhe has summarized
Platoto thepresent,
whoseesKafkaas a forerunner
AndEmrich,
ofDie TheorieKafkas.5
in 1927,is careful
whoseSein undZeit waspublished
of Heidegger,
Kafka'sviewsfromsomeof Heidegger's
to distinguish
metaphysical
of the parallels
He does not offerus an examination
assertions.
betweenKafkaand Husserl.
In placingKafkain thecontextof thetwentieth-century
novel,
method
it seemsto me moreusefulto examinehis epistemological
and
themetaphysical
Forwhereas
conclusions.
thanhismetaphysical
to writer,
in detailfromwriter
differ
ethicalconclusions
quitesharply
an
share
of
number
a rather
important
twentieth-century
figures
large
abouthowmanknowshisworld.6
bodyofconclusions
If ourconcern,
method,Husserlis
then,is withepistemological
forin thiscentury
the mostusefultouchstone,
he is the seminal
of
and
thinkerforContinental
conceptions
literary philosophical
of
the
"source"
is
that
Husserl
need
We
not
men
know.
how
argue
Germanwe mayobserve,simply,thattwo
Kafka'sepistemology;
Eastern
EuropeanJewsboth influencedby Christian
speaking
theother
and a decadeearlier,
the
one
philosophy
writing
thought,7
4 WilhelmEmrich,FranzKafka(Bonn,1965).
5 Bense,op. cit. Bense's unindexedDie TheorieKafkasmakesreferences
to Husserlon, forexample,pages19, 27, 61, 64. He clearlysees Kafka'sepis"Ich babe shon betont-und es ist dies ja
temologyas phenomenological:
die
Lage des kafkaschenSeins--, dap es indifphlinomenologische
gerade
realeroder idealerGegebenheit."(p. 64) But he treats
ferentist gegeniiber
he
Husserlsimplyas a step on the wayto Heideggerand, moreimportantly,
does not providea sustainedanalysisof any singleworkof Kafka.Insteadhe
Kafka'swork.
usesbriefquotationsfromthroughout
6 Thereare,forexample,
in themetaphysical
insights
verygreatdifferences
of Kafkaand Camus or Sartre,but thereis broadagreement
amongthemconaboutepistemology
The agreement
prompts
cerningman'smethodofknowing.
do not agreeabout
in theme,even wherewriters
similarities
some important
the metaphysical
of epistemology.
implications
beforehe wroteDer Proze13and
7 Kafkawas acquaintedwithKierkegaard
latermadean extendedstudyof the Dane; see Tagebiicher,
August21, 1913.
in his twento Christianity
HusserlstudiedtheNew Testamentand converted
Vol.
The
see
Herbert
I, 2nd
ties;
Movement,
Spiegelberg, Phenomenological
ed. (The Hague, 1965),p. 86.
80

CONTEMPORARY

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of the wayman
fiction,
producedquitesimilardescriptions
writing
knowshisworld.
withproblems
We mustrecognize
ofepistemology
Kafka'sconcern
as soonas webeginto analyzeDer Prozep/,
forJosef
K., bypersonality
absorbedin trying
and by quest,is a figure
to get someimportant
he is one wholooksto order,bothsocial
knowledge.
By personality
andintellectual,
forsecurity,
onewhomeasures
mostwhomhe meets
and whoattributes
to
byhisownintelligence
manyof hisdilemmas
a failure
ofintellect
on thepartofa companion.
His personality
thus
leadshimbothto puta veryhighvalueon attaining
and
knowledge
to underestimate
the problemsof achievingit. Duringthe early
stagesof his arrest,he speaksof the intellectual
povertyof his
warders
andcitesthe"senselessness"
ofsuicideas a reasonforavoida sensibleman
ingit.8He fills"withpleasureat havingencountered
at last"during
hismeeting
withtheinspector
(T, p. 15;P, p. 20) and
laterbelaborsthatsameinspector
fornotbeingreasonable.
"What
kindofmanareyou,then?You askme to be sensibleandyoucarry
on in the most senselessway imaginableyourself!"
he exclaims
(T, p. 18; P, p. 22). In fact,amonghis morefrequent
epithetsare
dumme(stupid)whichhe appliesto thedutyofinspector
(T, p. 20;
P, p. 25), sinnlose(senseless)whichhe appliesboth to the clerk
Kaminer(T, p. 32;P, p. 36) andto histrialitself(T, p. 57;P, p. 61),
and verstaindnislosen
his execu(senseless),withwhichhe describes
tioners(T, p. 283;P, p. 269). K., we thusobserve,
seeshimself
as a
reasonable
mananddemandsthattheworldbe thesame.
His questforknowledge
or understanding
is as clearas his selfIn
the
he
sets
as his firstgoal:
conception.
openingchapter
clarity
to
of
his
own
which
he
"Anyright dispose
things
mightpossesshe
did notprizeveryhighly;* it wasfarmoreimportant
to himto become clearconcerning
his situation."(T, p. 7; P, p. 12) He continuesfromthe"Who areyou?"ofhisfirst
wordsto theend of the
novelto askcountless
all
of he meets,andhe comesto the
questions
end ofhislifewiththetormented
resolution
of a manwhohas not
8 The

Trial,trans.Willa and Edwin Muir, rev.by E. M. Butler(New

references
to theseeditions
York,1957),p. 10; Der Prozep/,
p. 15. All further

willbe abbreviated
T. and P. and willbe containedin the text.The German
titlehas connotations
As well as the legal
missingin the Englishrendering.
meaning,Prozep containsthe meanings"operation,""process,"and "procedure."In viewof the priest'sstatement
"the proceedings
onlygradually
merge
into the verdict"("das Verfahren
ins Urteiliiber"),it seems
gehtallmdihlich
of theGermantitle.
highlydesirableto keepin mindthewiderreference
FRANZ

KAFKA

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81

ceasedto valuereasonable
questionsevenwhentheyhavenotbeen
"The onlythingforme to go on doing,"he thinks,
answered.
"is to
to the end." (T, p. 282;
calm and analytical
keepmyintelligence
P, p. 269).
concernwith
of JosefK., Kafka'sthematic
By sucha portrait
with
both
revelation
ofcharis
interwoven
epistemologyinextricably
ofplot.K. is something
of a superficial
acterand development
pheand
to
data.
himself:
he
tries
take
nomenologist
beginsinvestigations
Buthe holdswhatKafkaas wellas Husserlmightwellterma "naturalistic
misconstruction"
(Ideas,? 18ff.).He seeksidealtruthin the
world.He can makeclearforus Kafka'sattitudetoward
empirical
than by
the possibilities
of humanknowledge
less by statement
it
and
of
is
of
the
frustrations
the
his
technique
example;
portrayal
The initial
thatareforus themostrevealing.
hissearchforknowledge
in
the
first
of
his
shows
us
consciousness,
fact,
parallels
description
withHusserl'sfundamental
ideas.
Husserl'sstarting
consciousness
pointin Ideas is the individual
oftheworld."Natural
(Erfahrung)
knowledge
beginswithexperience
andremains
withinexperience,"
andgoeson:
he writes,
as original
toall [the]correct
assertions
there
correspond
science]
[ofevery
ofthereasoned
intuithemcertain
sources
justification
[sic]thatsupport
. . . appear
andinpartat leastgivenin
as self-given
tionsinwhich
objects
sense.... To havesomething
a primordial
realprimordially
(originairer)
it in simpleintuition,
andto "become
aware"ofit and"perceive"
given,
ofphysical
areoneandthesamething....We haveprimordial
experience
of
consciousness
but
ourselves
and
our
states
of
notof
...
,
things
...
others
andtheir
vitalexperiences
?
(Ideas,
1.)
....
neither
One beginswithone's own consciousness,
a consciousness
nor
but
consciousness
aware
itself
of
as
consciousness,
empty simply
ofsomething
thatis partoftheworld,a something
whichappearsto
in
one as presented
or Husserl'sword,
fromwithout,
self-evident,
In literature,
such a starting
the authormayreflect
Selbstgebung.
the
narrative
to
the
accessibleto a
pointby restricting
perceptions
of
we
find
in
the
narration
character.
This
is
what
single
precisely
Der Prozep."Jemand
haben,"goes the
mupteJosefK. verleumdet
now well-known
er
"denn
etwas
B6ses getan
ohne
dap
beginning,
wurde
er
eines
It
the
matter-of-fact
is
verhaftet."
hatte,
Morgens
manwhoassumesthatcauseand effect
are
statement
ofa reasonable
inviolable
and thateverything
It is, as we have
has an explanation.
of
kind
the
of
at
thebeginning
man
K.
is
suggested,
precisely
Josef
82

CONTEMPORARY

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the novel.Althoughthe syntaxis thirdperson,the narrative

throughto what JosefK. is capable of perceiving.Furtherout is restricted
more,Kafka managesto conveythe "primordially
given" character
of K.'s experience.At this point the explanationforarrestis, "selfevidently"that"someonemusthave denounced"K., even thoughhe
had done nothingwrong.Later,he begins to searchthe historyof
his lifeforthe wrongdoing
whichsimplydid not existforhim at the
of
but
the
this too seems, as it is narrated,selfnovel,
beginning
of
K.
Perhapsthe clearestexampleof the way the
evidentlyrequired
readeris putcompletelyat the mercyofthe pointofviewof K. comes
in the chapter"Lawyer/Manufacturer/Painter."
There, withinsix
we
in
are
told
the
of
identical
accents
pages,
completelytrustworthy
statements:
Butnow,whenK. shouldbe devoting
hismindentirely
to work,whenevhour
was
in
full
careerandrapidly
hurried
and
he
still
crowded-for
was
ery
a
.
was the time
rival
even
to
the
.
.
this
Assistant
becoming
Managerwhenhe mustsitdownto [the]task[ofrecounting
hislife].(T, p. 161;P,
p. 155)
And in contrast:
Andthemanager
himself?
... His goodintentions
wouldbe checkmated,
forK.'s waningprestige
the into counterbalance
wasno longersufficient
fluence
oftheAssistant
Manager.... (T, pp. 167-68;P, p. 161)
In both passages,as elsewhere,
the statementof factis simplydeclarative: it has the characterof the "primordially
given." But the perceptionsand judgmentsof otherpeople remainoutside this realm.
Or slightly
to paraphraseIdeas, "The otherman and his psychicallife
is indeedapprehendedas 'therein person,'and in unionwithhisbody,
but unlikethe body,it is not givento [K.'s] . . .consciousness as
primordial."(? 1) So, duringthe arrest:
Yet itoccurred
to himat oncethathe shouldnothavesaidthisaloudand
thatbydoingso he had in a wayadmitted
thestranger's
rightto superintendhisactions;still,thatdid notseemimportant
to himat themoment.
The stranger,
tookhiswordsin somesuchsense.... (T, pp. 4-5;
however,
P, p. 10;italicsmine)
The self-givenness
of objects forthe individualperceptionparus
to
understand
the sense of inevitability
whichaccomtiallyhelps
even
the
Der
most
bizarre
in
Prozep. It is one of
panies
experience
the dream-like
of
that
narrative
no
one demonstrates
Kafka's
qualities
verymuch surpriseat anything:
FRANZ

KAFKA

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83

muchsurprised
at theevents
ofthismorning?"
"Youarepresumably
very
. .. "Certainly,"
saidK.,... I amsurprised,
askedtheInspector
butI am
much
no
means
15;
P,
surprised."
(T, p.
p. 20)
very
by
executioner
Even the arrivalof the unexpected
is metonlyby the
restrained
"So youaremeantforme?" (T, p. 280;P, p. 266). As a
K's demiseseemstheresultofan inexorable
result,
process.
thataccompanies
the selfHowever,the senseof inevitability
in
human
should
not
lead
one to
perception
givenqualityofobjects9
assumethatthe specific
empirical
objectsare themselves
necessary.
seems"necessary"
to him,
His normalroutine
K. makesthatmistake.
natureoftheCourt's
thefundamental
andhe is slowto comprehend
to him,
His trialcomesto seemnecessary
to thatroutine.
challenge
in
in thesensethat"necessary"
the
significance
impliesspecial
proceedingsbeingconductedagainstK. ratherthan againstanother.
interhas reminded
And-as Kierkegaard
us, everyman is infinitely
first
to lastJosef
estedin hisownsalvation-from
K.'s ownlifeseems
It is againstthislast expectation
thatthe
to him to be necessary.
"'That
means
wordsofthepriesttakeon suchcrushing
significance:
I belongto theCourt,'saidthepriest.'So whyshouldI wantanyfromyou.It receives
you
thingfromyou?The Courtwantsnothing
whenyoucomeand dismisses
when
you
yougo.'" (T, p. 278; P,
his
and
his
trial
are
accidental,
p. 265) K., routine,
simply
contingent;
the Court in its indifference
"receives"themwhen theyappear,
"dismisses"
themwhentheygo.
In a clearly
Husserlexplains
ofthisthought,
paralleldevelopment
theaccidental
natureofspecific
objects:
Theactsofcognition
which
underlie
ourexperiencing
posittheRealinindividual
it
as
exas something
form,
existence,
posit having
spatio-temporal
in
this
a
real
and
this
duration
of
its
own
isting
time-spot,
having particular
content
whichin itsessence
in any
couldjustas wellhavebeenpresent
othertime-spot;
at this
is
as
which
positit,moreover,something
present
in
this
.
.
real
same
.
where
the
place
particular
being
physical
shape ,
yet
be present
at any
is concerned,
might
justas well,so faras itsownessence
other
kindis,to
form.
... Individual
place,andinanyother
Beingofevery
toindividuals,
andevenprocesses,
such
events,
9Here"objects"mayrefer

as businessroutine,trials,or logic."In our own instance,thatof sensoryperterms,perceptionof a worldof things,the logical

ception,or, in distincter
individualis the Thing; and it is sufficient
forus to treatthe perceptionof
all otherperceptions
thingsas representing
(of properties,
processes,and the
39.
?
Ideas,
like)."

84

CONTEMPORARY

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"accidental."
It is so-and-so,
butessentially
it could
speakquitegenerally,
thanitis. (Ideas,? 2)
be other
of the objectdoes not mean
But,forHusserl,thecontingency
that
is necessary.
thatthereis nothing
Rather,"it belongsto the
thatit shouldhaveessential
ofeverything
being;
meaning
contingent
mode
has
its
of
...
own
... [thatis,]anindividual
being,
proper
object
whichmustqualifyit (qua
its own supplyof essentialpredicables
relative
determinations
are
'Beingas it is in itself')ifothersecondary
to qualifyit also." (Ideas,? 2) In otherwords,althoughwe assign
theworlditsmeaningwe do not construct
it; theworld"is there";
and thosequalitiesoftheobjectthatmakeit whatit is areessential.
and on thisidealplane,theessential
Andbythisreasoning,
qualities
arenecessary,
themtheobjectwouldnotbe whatit is.
forwithout
Thereis, I think,a similarsensein whichthe eventsof Der
in whichtheyhavean "essential"
Prozepare "necessary,"
meaning.
And thisis the wayin whichthe novelrisesto the levelof great
art-forK. in Der Prozelpis an archetypal
the
figure'0
reenacting
search
for
we
crucial
information
which
westsee
mythic
throughout
ernliterature.
Telemachus
Faust,in knowlsoughtnewsofhisfather;
and
some
information
about
the
limits
of human
edge
experience,
and
the
of
the
nature
possibility;
Job
JosefK.,
chargeagainstthem,
so theycouldtestify
in theirowndefense.
of thesethe
Telemachus,
happiestman,soughtwhathe couldfindon earth.But in all these
caseswe finda manaskinga questionor seriesof questionswhose
answers
he hopeswillhelpto justify
hislife.In thissense,Der
Proze/p
as someof the essentialqualitiesof
speaksof whatKafkapresents
humanexperience,
withoutwhichmanwouldnotbe whathe is: a
creature
who receivesa deathsentence,
but neverdisquestioning
coversthe"charges"
him.
to
it
another
Or, put
against
way,we perceivetheessential
features
of K. to theextentto whichwe see him
as a symbolofmanora certain
kindofman.
But thereis an important
wayin whichDer Prozepis different
fromitsnon-phenomenological
For all theotherthree,
predecessors.
theherois one of a kind;he mayrepresent
a type,but his specific
is
of
critical
the
to
of
identity
importance
story hissearchforinformation.Telemachusis the son of Odysseus;Jobis a good man;and
Faustthemagus,teacher,
But JosefK. is a
scholarofgreatrenown.
bankclerk;he couldjustas wellhavebeen assistant
manageror a
For a discussionof Kafka'suse of myth,see KurtWeinberg,Kafkas
des Mythos(Bern,1963).
Dichtungen:Die Travestien
10

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KAFKA

85

to discoverthe chargesagainst
and his futileattempts
tradesman,
himcouldhavebeenmadeas wellas by anysimilarman.Job,the
to thesupreme
testGod and thedevildesign,
goodman,is necessary
but K. is "accidental,"
notneededbytheCourt,and thisis partof
humanexperience
Kafkaportrays.
Thereis addedirony
theessential
in the recognition
that,forK., obtaining
any essentialknowledge
wouldhaveentailedrecognizing
hisowncontingency.
Kafkadescribes
humanexperience
Another
facetoftheessential
of
is the unreliability,
and
ambivalence
perceptions,
uncertainty,
When K.
as Selbstgebungen.
despitetheirimmediate
presentation
shoutsat thethreewhowatchhisarrest
fromthewindowacrossthe
ofthesame
theinspector,
who"waspossibly
way,he turnsto observe
mind,K. fancied.... But it wasequallypossiblethattheinspector
interhadnotevenbeenlistening."
(T, p. 19;P, p. 23) Or,inhisfirst
Left
and
K.
of
mistakes
the
crowd
for
Parties
rogation,
Right,an
audiencetobe swayed,
themall to be officials
andonlylaterperceives
in the offices
of theCourt(T, p. 59; P, p. 62). And he speculates
aboutwhether
senseinferior
theCourtwaspoor,andthusina certain
thatthe
to him,"though,
ofcourse,
thepossibility
isnottobe ignored
pocketedit ..."
moneywasabundantenough,butthattheofficials
in thelawoffices
(T, p. 74;P, p. 76). In fact,mostofK.'s experiences
are
in
the
course
ofhiscon(chapter
three) completely
re-interpreted
The ambivaversation
withKaufmann
Blockin theeighthchapter.
lencepersists
to theveryend,when,as Heinz Politzerhas pointed
decisionabout
doesnotevenpermit
an unequivocal
out,"thesyntax
to whomorwhatbelongstheshamewhichseemedas ifit "mustoutlivehim."
The uncertainty
andambivalence
aretokensofthewayin which
mancanknowhisworld.He doesnotreceivedirectrevelations
ofdivineessenceandhe hasno validappealpasttherealmofhisownperofothers'
ceptions(whichinclude,
perceptions
speaking,
scientifically
and
the
of
these
consciousness
perceptions
perceptions).
synthetic
sometimes
Rather,he mustfoundhis knowledge
uponincomplete,
ofappearances.
illusory,
perceptions
The exampleHusserloffers
is instructive:
in
thistablesteadily
inviewas I goround
it,changing
Keeping
myposition
all
the
I
have
of
the
the
consciousness
time,
space
bodily
prescontinually
enceoutthere
unofthisoneandself-same
remains
table,whichin itself
that
But
the
is
one
the
of
table
changed
changes
throughout.
perception
11

86 1

FranzKafka:
Parable
andParadox
NewYork,1962),p. 217.
(Ithaca,
CONTEMPORARY

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ofchanging
it is a continuum
(Ideas,$41)
perceptions.
continuously,
itsteadily
thefactofhistrial,
In a verysimilar
sense,K. circles
keeping
his
of
thirtieth
the
inviewas he goesfullcircleduring cycle
year.The
ofthenatureofthetrialitself
"there"buthisperception
trialremains
ofthetrial
to it steadily
andhisrelationship
change.Each perception
added
all
of
them
and
last
to
the
added
mustbe
together
perception,
in
Husserl's
But
K.
that
obtains.
trial
his
of
the
words,
description
yield
and
all
its
and
in
"The perceived
phases
aspects,
parts,
thing general,
the
to
transcendent
are
?
...
(Ideas, 41) Howperception."
necessarily
the
of
for
everhardK. searches complete
trial,thetrialitknowledge
ofit.Whathe canobtainis a succession
hisknowledge
selftranscends
of
ofperceptions:
he can,it is true,askotherswhattheirperceptions
toldhimbyotherswithhis
histrialare.He canunitetheperceptions
of
consciousness
intoa synthetic
own"primordially
given"perceptions
his trial.But-to use Husserl'stermsand yetto expandtheanalysis
fromthe
in terms
areserious
ofDer Prozep--there
limitations,
strictly
the
forhis
of
method,
upon possibilities
standpoint phenomenological
theessenceofhis trial.He is notunliketheasadequately
knowing
to describe
theeson
tronomer
standing a singleplanetwhoattempts
at
oftheuniverse.
The trialis an objectwhichextends
sentialfeatures
until
the
end
of
life.
it
his
leastfromthepointat whichK. recognizes
Yet at anypointat whichit is stillpossibleforhimto synthesize
perthe
He
around
table."
has
all
K.
has
not
"walked
the
yet
way
ceptions,
notseenthetrialto itsend.
withthisbasicallyepistemological
Kafka'sown preoccupation
themonths
from
is
evident
justbemanydiaryentries
during
problem
thewriting
ofDer Prozep.One oftheclearest
foreandduring
appears
forDecember17,1913:
in Tagebficher
(Diaries,Vol. I) as an entry
freedom
andslavery
crosseachother
with
Thetruly
terrible
pathsbetween
an
immediate
noguidetothewayaheadandaccompanied
obliterating
by
ofsuchpaths,
numbers
Therearecountless
ofthosepathsalready
traversed.
from
is no vantage
forthere
be determined,
oronlyone,itcannot
ground
leave.(Italicsmine)
ThereI am.I cannot
toobserve.
which
theessential
natureofhis trialtherearemoreprobIn determining
from
whichto observe."
lemsforK. thanthelackof"a vantage
ground
trial
is
that
it is K.'s trialfeatures
of
the
most
the
One of
important
it (or,narratively
thatis,thatit is thetrialof theone whoperceives
the
reader
whose
"perceives"
it). In other
eyes
through
speaking,
that
the
features
of
the
essential
one
of
we
words, maysuspect
being
of "thetrial"is thatit appearsas primordially
given.Let us forthe
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87

momentassume,as mostbut notall criticsdo, thatK. is in somesense

thathis trialis representative
ofthetrialofman,or at least
archetypal,
ofcertainkindsofmen,and is not simplya categoryof one. Fromthe
phenomenological
pointof view,K. mightseek to determinethe essenceof his trialby comparinghis experiencewithothermen: and in
facthe does thiswithBlock the Tradesman.Yet onlyone's own experiencecan appearas primordially
given;K., or anyothersingleindithis
vidual, is permanentlydebarredfromverifying
"scientifically"
that
other.
Another
of
the
the
of
nature
of
trial
aspect
mayreport
any
hisowntrialappearsto himto be "primordially
given."Yet thisreport
the perceptions
of the one he addresses,who observes
mustcontradict
the other'strialas a factof the world,but not as primordially
given.
each otherin the manner
The two perceptions,
insteadof reinforcing
Block gives
of scientific
data, remainin paradox.So the information
all
in
trial
cannot
K.
his
own
determining the aspects
help
concerning
ofthe "essenceoftrialness."As a result,theisolationofthe individual
ofone's owntrialalwaysseemsdifferent
is increased.One's description
fromanother'sdescription
of his trial.There is no community
among
the arrested;since only one's own experienceappears primordially
given,theycan giveeach otherlittleassistanceon the problemwhich
mostabsorbseach: findingout abouthis trial.Blockexplainedit to K.
likethis:
about
Each caseis judgedon itsownmerits,
theCourtis veryconscientious
hereand
that,andso commonactionis outofthequestion.An individual
no
theremayscorea pointin secret,
but,no one hearsit untilafterwards,
one knowshow it has been done.So there'sno realcommunity,
people
comeacrosseachotherin thelobbies,but*littleis saidthere.(T, pp. 21819;P, pp. 210-11)
The meansby whichK. "knows"his trialand the limitationson that
help us to understandK.'s predicamentin
knowledge,incidentally,
At firsthe rejectsall help: "He loathedthe
on
his
trial.
seekinghelp
to help
thoughtof chartering
anyone,even the mostcasual stranger,
him alongin thiscase of his,also he did not wantto be beholdento
anyoneor to initiateanyoneeven remotelyin his affairs."(T, p. 42;
he can findit, and
P, p. 47) But laterhe seekshelp almostwherever
both
times.
His initialrehe seemsin a wayto be wrong
perversely,
fusalofhelp maybe seenas a refusalevento permitothersto perceive
his trial.But if others,like KaufmannBlock,cannothelp him much
by reportson theirtrials,K. can at leastuse otherpeople'sreportson
his trialas muchas possible,he
his own.Sincehe wantsto understand
88

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mustuse all available"data." He seemsto recognizethis,and by the

uses the intimeof his encounterwiththe manufacturer,
he willingly
is able to reportabout K.'s trial.On the
the manufacturer
formation
otherhand,he mustalso recognizethelimitsupon thehelp otherscan
and no privileged
give him; thereis no short-cutto understanding
In termsof Husserl'sexampleof thetable,
revelation.
personcan offer
no singleviewof the table is adequate withoutall the otherpossible
views.Some standpointsmay offera betterview than others,just as
the painterand priestseem potentiallymore usefulcommentators
but not eventhepriestcan offerK. anythanthelawyeror tradesman,
than
one
more
perceptionof his situation.Hence, on thislevel,
thing
the priest'sapproachto K. has epistemologicalmeaning:"You cast
about too much foroutsidehelp, . . . especiallyfromwomen.Don't
you see thatit isn't*truehelp?" (T, p. 265; P, p. 253)
But despitethe warning,K. continueshere to seek "too much"
outsidehelp, now fromthe priest."If the man would onlyquit his
pulpit,it was notimpossiblethatK. could obtaindecisiveand acceptable counsel fromhim whichmight,forinstance,point the way ...
towarda mode of livingcompletelyoutside the jurisdictionof the
Court" (". . . zeigenwurde.. wie man auperhalbdes Prozessesleben
k6nnte.") (T, p. 266; P, p. 254) The priest'sreproachforsuch sentimentsis as directas his previouschargethatK. soughttoo muchhelp:
"'With you I can speakopenly,'said K. 'Don't be deluded,'said the
priest."(T, p. 267; P, p. 255) There is a similarscene at the end of
thechapter:
"You wereso friendly
to me fora time,"saidK., "andexplainedso much
to me,andnowyouletmego as ifyoucarednothing
aboutme.""Butyou
haveto leavenow,"saidthepriest;. . . "You mustfirst
see whoI am." ...
"You are theprisonchaplain,"said K. . ... "That meansI belongto the
fromyou?The
Court,"said thepriest."So whyshouldI wantanything
fromyou.It receives
come
Courtwantsnothing
when
and it disyou
you
missesyouwhenyougo." (T, p. 278;P, p. 265)
K. maynot even trustthe prisonchaplain.Althoughhe may use the
he stillmustcope withhis own trialby meansof
chaplain'swarnings,
his own knowledge;12it is humanlyimpossibleforhim to have knowlof the chaptersbe correct,
Should HermanUyttersprot's
re-ordering
and the chapterentitled"Block the Tradesman/Dismissal
of the Lawyer"folof the
low thechapter"In theCathedral,"we can see tracesof K.'s recognition
in
of
the
words
to
See
his
resolution
dismiss
his
lawyer. Franz
meaning
priest's
Kafka Today, ed. Angel Flores and Homer Swander(Madison,Wisconsin,
1964).
12

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89

froma higher
edgeproceeding
vantage
pointthanthehuman.Ourinofepistemological
toward
method,
then,hasledus further
vestigation
an understanding
ofwhatis symbolized
the
Earlier
court.
we
have
by
seenthecourt,in thispassage,revealed
as a representative
oftheesindifferent
to thecomings
andgoingsofthecontingent
world.
sential,
A further
examination
ofthesamepassagesuggests
thatthisessential
worldis also therealmof truth.The priest,
whohas "explainedso
much"to K. in theformofthe"LegendoftheDoorkeeper,"
can do
no more.The multiple
of thatambivalent
interpretations
legendresemblethesuccessive
of
the
man
thetable.
around
perceptions
walking
K. mustleavenow;butthepriest,
whohasactedin a friendly
fashion,
makesonelasteffort
to tellK. whyitis futileto staylonger.
He is the
prison
chaplain:"ThatmeansI belongtotheCourt."Andifthecourt
is therealmofcomplete
the
Truthwiththecapitalletter,
knowledge,
priestcannottella livingK. thetruthabouthistrial.For"Truth"in
thissenseis instantaneously
andindivisible,
andhumanpercomplete
and intrinsically
unableto achieve
ceptionis time-bound,
sequential,
the perspective
itself
that
could
remove
it
from
the realmof
upon
time.K. can "collectdata,"but"thetruthwillnotbe discovered
by
suchmeans."
It is at onceK.'s failure
andhisglory
thathe doesnotacceptthe
limitations
Fromtheopeningpagesof the
uponhumanknowledge.
bookit is K.'s first
that
"become
clearabouthis situation."
he
goal
then
is
useful
action
And
is not
Only
possible. approximate
knowledge
unenough.Or,in thewordsofFraiulein
Montagto K., "theslightest
even
in
the
most
matter
is
a
certainty
(T, p. 99;
trifling
always worry"
so farfrombeingtrifling,
areactuallya
P, p. 100) and K.'s worries,
matter
oflifeanddeath.
If we presstheimplications
ofphenomenological
we may
theory,
see K.'s refusal
to accepttheambivalent
answerto hisquestions
as a
failure
to recognize
therealsignificance
oftheprocessofaskingquesthatK. doesnotperform
thephenomtions.We couldsay,perhaps,
It is one of Husserl'sbasicassertions
thatconreduction.
enological
sciousness
is intentional,
thatis,directed
towarda selectedobjectin
theworld.The objectisnotrevealed
untilitis an objectforconscioustoprovide
a foundation
forphilosophy,
ness.ThenHusserl,
attempting
the
He
the
makes
intentional
reduction.
performs phenomenological
actofconsciousness
itself
an objectforconsciousness;
theresultofthis
is to revealthatconsciousness
is thesourceofmeaning
in theworld.
Pierre
a
Swiss
it
this
Th:venaz,
philosopher,
explains
way:
90

CONTEMPORARY

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andessential
ofthereduction
The primordial
is to bringto
purpose
contact
consciousness
andtheworld,
thisessential
intentional
between
light
a relationship
which
inthenatural
attitude
remains
veiled.ForHusserl,
in
thereduction
theworldremains
whereit is,butnowoneperceives
that
actofknowledge
in factrefers
to a subject. . . as to an ultimate
every
andprimary
termwhichis theorigin,
thesupport
or foundation
of its
meaning.1"
K. continually
flirts
withtheideathatmanhimself
confers
Josef
on
much
the
as
affirms.
He
to
Frau
GruHusserl
world,
meanings
says
for
bach, example:
If immediately
on awakening
I hadgotup without
troubling
myhead
aboutAnna'sabsence
andhadcometoyouwithout
who
regarding
anyone
in thekitchen
triedtobarmyway,I couldhavebreakfasted
fora change
andcouldhavegotyoutobring
memyclothes
from
if
myroom;inshort,
I had behaved
further
wouldhavehappened,
all this
sensibly,
nothing
inthebud.(T, p. 26;P, p. 30-31;italics
wouldhavebeennipped
mine)
K. seemsheretobe awarethathe is,byvirtue
ofhisrecognition
ofthe
in
a
collaborator
his
trial.
This
is
of
to
that
the
arrest,
not, course, say
trialis merelya figment
of K.'s imagination;
ratherthispointsto
thesignificance
ofthepointofcontact
between
consciousness
andthe
world.The worldis there;therewouldhave been someone"[tryhe hadthepowerto focus
ing]tobar... [his]way."But,K. suggests,
hisattention
oflife.He couldhave"beonlyupontheroutine
things
andthuswouldnothaverevealed
thelevelsofhuman
havedsensibly"
the
This
trial.'4
experience
symbolized
by
powerof conconstituting
is
sciousness quiteexplicitly
reiterated
hisinterrogation:
byK. during
"It is onlya trialifI recognize
itas such.Butforthemoment
I recognizeit,onthegrounds
ofcompassion,
as itwere."(T, p. 51;P, p. 55)15
WhatIs Phenomenology?
13Pierre
ed. James
M.
Th6venaz,

Edie (Chicago,
1962),p. 47.
14 It seemsto memuchmorein keeping
withKafka's
concern
with
repeated
thehiddenness
of truth
to discussthispassage(as wellas subsequent
onesin
whichK. failsto understand
in terms
oftheintentional
nature
ofconthings)
rather
sciousness
thanin terms
ofbad faith,
a later,Sartrian
Suchan
concept.
doesnotpreclude
K. H. Volkmann-Schluck's
approach
that,on one
suggestion
consciousness
ifoneregards
level,K. is "arrested"
consciousby
itself,
especially
nessas a reflexive
consciousness.
Forthelatter
undDasein
idea,see"Bewuptsein
in Kafkas
Die neueRundschau,
No. 1 (1951),39.
Prozepf,"
15Fora paragraph
evenmorestrikingly
oftheconstituting
suggestive
power
ofconsciousness
consider
thepassagestricken
from
P, p. 20 andT, p. 16,and
inP, pp. 304-305andT, pp. 318-319.
published
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91

hereis theemphasis
Of particular
K. does
importance
uponmeaning;
notassertthatproceedings
wouldnotexistwithouthis recognition.
wouldnot existas his "trial"
What he saysis thattheproceedings
without
hisrecognition
wenn
(". . . dennes istja nureinVerfahren,
ButifK. confers
iches als solchesAnerkenne.")
on
the
meaning
proinwhichhe isinvolved,
ceedings
whyshouldhe notsolvehisproblems
to recognize
histrialorbymanufacturing
a satisbyrefusing
simply
The
defense?
answer
of
that
both
are
imsolutions
is,
course,
factory
Consciousness
is
directed
an
toward
but
intentional,
possible.
object,
toward
an objectwhichis there.Werethestory
directed
K.
different,
absorbed
OnceK. becomescontotally
mightremain
bydailyroutine.
as histrial,however,
sciousoftheproceedings
he maydenytheperit
buthe cannotsimply
or
perceptions,
ception modify bysubsequent
To theextent
awareness.
thathisstatements
do awaywiththeoriginal
hisrecognition
ofthetrialhe is deludedor
implythathe canrescind
since
intends
an
And
consciousness
it in
objectin theworld,
bluffing.
If K. does
thattowardwhichit is directed.
no sense"manufactures"
no actionorexercise
notbecomeawareofan adequatedefense,
ofwill
canbringitintobeing.
K. perceives
thefutility
to rescindhis
of trying
By implication,
the
trial.
He
the
of
does
not,however,
explore implications
recognition
His comments
in
of thisperception.
upontheroleof his awareness
the
trial
are
and
deintuitive,
conferring
meaningupon
haphazard,
the"natural
as itwere,intheheatofbattlefrom
livered,
standpoint.""'
not
have
the
character
of
indo
systematic
phenomenological
They
and focusesatobject"in brackets"
quirywhichplacestheperceived
act
tentionupontheperception,
the
intentional
of consciousupon
K. continues
to look formeanings
and answers
ness.Consequently,
"outthere"-hequestions
hiswardens,
thelawyer,
Leni,thepainter,
thepriest.Werehe to understand
theimplications
of his statement
I
a
trial
because
it
is
as
he
recognize such"), woulddirecthis
("It only
towardhisrecognition,
attention
towardconsciousness
as a realmof
itrequires
purebeing,andwouldaccordhistrialthebracketed
position
as thatwhich"essentially
lacksindependence"
?
(Ideas, 50). He would
isnotinitself
seethat"Reality
. .. itis,absolutely
absolute,
something
it
at
no
it has
has
'absolute
essence'
whatever,
speaking,
nothing all,
of something
theessentiality
whichin principle
is onlyintentional,
an
as
known,
only
presented appearance."
consciously
(Ideas,? 50)
Fromthispointofview,K.'s failure
to gettheknowledge
he de16

92

For elaboration
of thistermsee Ideas,? 30-? 31.
CONTEMPORARY

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is theresultofhislooking
in thewrongplace.We
siresso desperately
have convincing
evidenceof Kafka'sconcernwith"lookingin the
whilehe waswriting
wrongplace"in a sectionofhisdiariesrecorded
for
Der Prozep/.
The following
28,
entry, September 1915,immediately
K. byname:
Kafka
refers
toJosef
which
one
in
precedes
To complain
meanstoputa questoaskquestions?
Whyisitmeaningless
at
tionandwaitfortheanswer.
themselves
Butquestions
thatdon'tanswer
No distance
divides
theverymoment
oftheirasking
arenever
answered.
to
from
him.Thereis no distance
theinterrogator
theonewhoanswers
toaskandwait.
overcome.
Hencemeaningless
ForK. to askquestions
The courtwhichhe
andwaitis meaningless.
one
a
which
is within,and
questionsrepresents
(on
level) sphere
cananymanbe called
whichhe cannotanswer-"how
thosequestions
We areall simplymenhere,one as muchas theother"-are
guilty?
forever.
Thisthought
is notidentical
destined
to remainunanswered
withHusserl's
in thissense:whereas
Husserlrulesouttheexistence
of
an absoluterealmotherthanthatoftheAbsoluteBeingofconsciousness,Kafkadoes not.Theremaybe meaningful
questionsaboutan
absoluterealmotherthanthatofconsciousness-but
thephenomenoin
the
sense
that
about
thatrealmlies
rules
logical
testimony
apply
within
inFranzKafka,
man.WilhelmEmrich,
hasalready
us
provided
andsystematic
witha convincing
ofKafka'spervasive
conexplanation
cernwiththehiddenness
oftruthwithinman(v. esp."Der Weg zur
universellen
ofmuchof
Wahrheit,"
pp. 45-53). Eventhemetaphor
Hunter
Kafka'sprose,particularly
"The
to
Gracchus,"corresponds
whatThbvenazidentifies
as "thedistinctive
signsofthephenomenoor uncovering
logicalmethod:a methodof 'showing'(Aufweisung),
ofmaking
orlayingbare(Freilegung),
whichis
explicit(Auslegung)
meantto bringto lightthe forgotten
whatlay
being,to rediscover
coveredorentombed."'7
The similarity
liesin this:Husserlasserts
thatessential
truthcan
an
be discovered
of
and
by analysis consciousness, Kafka,analogously
but farmoremetaphorically,
affirms
thatessentialtruthmustbe
hidden
in
the
of
man.
The
distinctive
difference
is that
sought
depths
an essential
truthaccessible
Husserldefines
of
the
means
phenomby
thathe shares
enologicalmethodand Kafka,whiledemonstrating
viewsof cognition,
remains
manyof thephenomenologist's
agnostic
of "essential
aboutthe finality
truth"of the sortHusserldescribes.
Rather,forKafkathereis nevera realmwhichmancan reachwhich
17

Th6venaz,p. 55.

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93

he cansecurely
define
as therealmofessential
truth.Eventherecognitionthatconsciousness
confers
on
the
worldmaybe just
meaning
in a worldwhoseultimate
another
ofhumanresponsibility
discovery
Kafka
lawsremaininaccessible.
Perhaps,
implies,thistoo is justanotherviewofanother
table.
Andit is in thissensethatJosef
to ceaseaskingquesK.'s refusal
as wellas hisfailure.
His questions
tionsis hisglory
showthathe does
theneedto questwithinhimself,
notunderstand
but his questions
of thatsphereof knowledge,
also raisethe possibility
of absolute
which
it
to
is man'sglory aspirewith"raisedhands"
toward
Wahrheit,
Thathe doesnotachieveitmaybe shameful,
and"outspread
fingers."
buttheshamemayas muchpertain
tosomeorderofhigher
Logikas to
K. remainsin the naturalstandpoint,
out of the realm
K. himself.
withitsachievement
ofthephenomenological
oftheessenreduction,
tialsphere
ofconsciousness.
of
K.'s sphereis therealmofappearances,
and thuseventhelastsentenceof the
thetablewhichmancircles,

ambivalent:"it seemedas if . . ."-"es war,als

book is irremediably

solltedieSchamihniiberleben."
aboutman'sability
Kafka,too,withhisfundamental
agnosticism
bookas a symbolic
leavestheentire
to knowthetruth,
structure
upon
confer
We can discover
in thesame
whichitsinterpreters
meanings.
a numberof meanings,
structure
and,indeed,to understand
it, we
in partbybiomust.It is clearthatDer Prozepmaybe understood
andphilosophical
whichdrawon
approaches
psychological,
graphical,
oftheoperKafka'sGesammelte
Werke,as wellas bycareful
analyses
ationofsymbol
andimagesolelywithintheworkitself.
Thesevaried
areanalogous
to ourdifferent
on thetableas
perspectives
approaches
ofgathering
we circleit.That Kafka,too,sharedourexperience
perofJanuary
24,
spectives
uponthebookwe knowfromhisdiaryentry
Der
of
to
his
1915.There,he describes
Prozep
fianc6e,
readingpart
FeliciaBauer,andadds:"Duringthereading
ofthedoorkeeper
story,
The significance
of thestory
and goodobservation.
attention
greater
time."(Italicsmine)
dawneduponmeforthefirst
ofa freemandefying
theuniverse
as
Is Der Prozepthechronicle
muchas mancan defyit,s8or is it theaccountof freely
chosenbad
oris it a recordofhumanbondageto fearsoffather
andmarfaith,'9
18

Politzer,op. cit.

19Ren6Dauvin,
"TheTrial:Its

inFranzKafkaToday,op. cit.
Meaning,"

in Modern
SeealsoTheodore
"TheCrisis
oftheThirty-Year-Old
Ziolkowski,

at Work,ed. RichardB. Vowles(Boston,forthFiction,"in Comparatists

coming).

94

CONTEMPORARY

LITERATURE

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

fortheseinterpreWithoutgoingintothecritical
foundations
riage?20
thatthetextprovides
evidencethatsuchreadtationswe maysuggest
exclusive.
ForthereaderofDer Prozefl,
as
ingsmaynotbe mutually
forK., the meaningof the volumemustremainambivalent-not
clearbutbecauseitsveryambivabecausethenovelfailstomakeitself
novel
of
its
the
as a whole,likethe"Legendof
lenceis part
clarity:
theDoorkeeper,"
standsas a symbolof man'sintrinsic
to
inability
ortojudgefinally.
The priest's
knowcompletely
quotation
melancholy
the interpretation
of the legendservesas a warning
to
concerning
an
of
the
of
human
and epitome
readers
problems
symbolknowledge
Auffassen
einerSacheundMipsverstehen
izedbythenovel:"Richtiges
einander
dergleichen
aus."21
Sacheschliefen
nichtvollstaindig
ofWisconsin
University
CharlesNeider,The FrozenSea (New York,1962).
of the
rightperceptionof any matterand a misunderstanding
samematterdo notwhollyexcludeeach other."
20

21 "The

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95