PERUSING THE PROBLEMATIC IDENTITY ON JOSEPH K. OF FRANZ KAFKA’S THE TRIAL WITH THE PROPOSITION OF IDENTITY STAGE BY ERIKSON’S PSYCHO-SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

Abstract

This study aims to seek a psycho-social analysis of Kafka’s The Trial. The current study presents the evaluation of psycho-social problems by offering the story of Franz Kafka’s The Trial with the perspective of Erik Erikson. The study develops the in-depth analysis of the protagonists Joseph K.’s identity problem and role confusion. This research also analyzes the Joseph K’s sagacity for
establishing a free state of psycho-social moratorium. To respond to these concepts this study has practiced the fifth stage out of eight stages of Erik Erikson’s psycho-social developmental theory, recognized as identity vs. role confusion. This study uses content-based qualitative research and textual analysis. The textual data is in the form of expressions and symbols exercise to assess psycho-social problems. The result of this study found that the psycho-social crises of Joseph K. of The Trial based on the renowned stage as identity vs. role confusion by Erikson’s psycho-social developmental theory. Which could be realized through Joseph K.’s malignancies in his adulthood stage. But the failure to solve these issues of adolescence made Joseph K. of The Trial undergo the identity diffusion. And at the end, fiasco to establish his identity and free state of psycho-social moratorium, in his life symbolically in The Trial, led him to his death.