The story of The Trial begins with an unexpected state of events. The protagonist, Josef K., wakes up one morning on his 30th birthday to find himself under arrest. However, what is strange about this arrest is not just its randomness, but the fact that he is not informed of the alleged crime. Josef is told that he can continue with his everyday life but must participate in trial proceedings when required.

While Josef initially perceives the situation as a mistake, he soon begins to bear the psychological weight of an undefined guilt. Despite claiming innocence, he spends most of his time trying to deal with his case. Formal and informal discussions about the law consume him, alienating him from his routine life and acquaintances.