K.

K. arrives in town as a total stranger. He has been summoned as a land surveyor at the Castle's behest. For the most part, K.'s background is entirely unclear. It is not even clear whether K. really is a land surveyor, for he seems surprised when the Castle confirms that they have been expecting one; he takes it as a sign that he has, just then, been appointed land surveyor. K. never has an opportunity to show any kind of land surveying knowledge or skill—he is informed by the village chairman that his summoning was a bureaucratic error. He does claim, however, to have some medical experience, and it is on that pretext that he arranges the meeting with Hans' mother.

K.'s status as a stranger brings with it both problems and advantages. No one in the village really trusts him. He is constantly...