K. vs. His Own Passivity

The internal conflict between K.'s desire to act and his tendency toward inaction and resignation.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Early Indecision

The Paralysis Missed Opportunities K. considers various actions but often delays. He fails to confront the court directly after the arrest. He lets his uncle take charge. Self-Doubt K. questions his own judgment. He wonders if he should have resisted more. His passivity grows as the trial progresses.

Attempts to Take Control

The False Starts Dismissing the Lawyer K. decides to take over his defense, but he never actually writes the petition. He visits Titorelli but does not commit to a plan. Procrastination K. spends time daydreaming at work instead of acting. His internal conflict between action and inaction remains unresolved.

Final Acceptance

The Surrender No Struggle K. does not fight the executioners. He thinks about maintaining dignity but does not try to escape. His passivity becomes complete. The Inner Defeat K. has lost the will to live. His internal conflict ends with his acceptance of death. The passivity wins.

First days

Mid-trial

Execution