Analysis Of Kafka's The Trial From The Perspective Of Foucault's Theory Of Micro-power

Franz Kafka's work features a unique style in the literary world for its absurd plots,unpredictable writing skills,and profound critical consciousness.The Trial as the first novel of Kafka,not only inherits the "black humor" tradition of Western literature,but also highlights the writer's concern on individuals' survival dilemma.Michel Foucault,renowned as "a philosopher of power" in the western world,raises discussion on power issues around the world with his special analysis on the connotation and form of power.Foucault's theory of micro-power is the most distinctive one among his entire conception of power.On the one hand,micro-power theory subverts the top-down repressive traditional power pattern;on the other hand,it throws new light on how to analyze the effect of power both on modern society's construction and on individual's living condition.Joseph K,the protagonist of The Trial,experiences a failure of self-redemption,which constitutes the main storyline of the text.The analysis of Joseph K's rebellious process and the underlying reasons has also been the starting point of this dissertation.This dissertation makes an in-depth analysis on Kafka's The Trial based on the power relations,power discourse and power mechanism from the perspective of Foucault's theory of micro-power.The introduction firstly gives an overview of Foucaul's theory of power and Kafka's The Trial Secondly,it introduces research status about the main perspectives of Kafka's The Trial both at home and abroad.Finally,it explains the main contents and ideas of the research on this dissertation.As Kafka's The Trial implies a special power pattern.Foucault provides an effective means to reveal the power problem in the text with his micro-power theory.Therefore,this dissertation,using comparative literature research methods which include narratology and close reading methods,effectively explores the power system and power operation mode in The Trial.The first chapter studies the characteristics of power relations in The Trial.By expounding the differences between traditional power and micro power in Foucault's power theory,this chapter explores The Trial from three aspects,namely the essential nature of power,the flow direction of power,and the existence of the power's subject.Then it shows three distinctive features of the power,which are duality,dispersion and ambiguity.In addition,this chapter gives an overall analysis on the specific causes,manifestation and influence on reality of the above-mentioned three features based on the whole text.The second chapter explores the power discourse practice in The Trial.This chapter based on Foucault's thoughts and exposition of the relationship between discourse,knowledge and power,proposes that discourse is an important part to study power relations.The discourses of the characters in The Trial have different motivations and different types.Therefore,this chapter divides the power discourse practice into a single type of power discourse and a compound discourse of power according to different ways in which the powers involved in the discourses.The third chapter analyzes the power mechanism in The Trial.This chapter on a basis of Foucault's "discipline" in his Discipline and Punish,discusses the operation of power as well as the results from the implementation of power technology including its dual impact on individual and social construction.The "discipline power" in the text is presented through two specific power techniques-" surveillance”and"inspection".Because of the "discipline power",characters in the text descend to tamed state,and none of them even aware of that.In the conclusion part,the dissertation reveals that the power web in The Trial has intricate,knowledgeable,and undetectable features.Foucault's later thinking shows an obvious "self" turn.In addition,the "self-care" provides the subject under the"tamed state" with a way to break through the power suppress.Therefore,Foucault and Kafka not only achieved the dialogue beyond time and space which is centered on"power and freedom" in The Trial,but also demonstrated a profound thinking and special humanistic value in Kafka's text and Foucault's theory of micro-power.