The novel begins with a famous and jarring sentence: "Someone must have been telling lies about Josef K., for without having done anything wrong, he was arrested one morning". Josef K., a respectable bank officer, wakes up on his 30th birthday to find two strange men in his bedroom informing him he is under arrest.
In the surreal world of Franz Kafka’s The Trial , the "helpful" element isn't found in a happy ending, but in the striking way it mirrors the frustrations of modern life and human nature.
Exactly one year later, on the eve of his 31st birthday, two men arrive to escort K. to a quarry. There, they execute him with a butcher's knife. His final words are, "Like a dog!".