Blog Post #1 Topic 1

For “Before the Law,” I saw it as a mental struggle. The man was struggling with dealing with depression and was not capable of getting out because he was incapable of fighting to do so. He kept himself guarded, hence the gatekeepers and allowed himself to stay in that mental state. My group and I decided to go with a psychological reading. We leaned towards this reading because the gatekeepers seem to represent the levels of consciousness, which is conscious, subconscious and unconscious. One of the gatekeepers says, “But from room to room stand gatekeepers, each more powerful than the other,” emphasizing the difficulty of being able to reach the deepest part of one’s brain. It is easy to access the conscious brain but the unconscious brain is usually impossible. The “fleas in his collar,” makes the man seem like he is delusional. The last few lines “everyone strives after the law,” meaning that many people hope to access thoughts or memories, but it is nearly impossible. “Here no one else can gain entry, since the entrance was assigned only to you,” makes on think since a person’s brain is ones’ own, they are the only ones capable of going deep into their brain.

                Another interpretation would be a Marxist approach. One can argue that the gatekeepers and the man are a representation of a hierarchical system. The man represents the lowest social class. “The man bends over in order to see through the gate into the inside,” showing how the man wants the opportunity to be able to rise in social standing but is being denied. “The man from the country has not expected such difficulties: the law should always be accessible to everyone,” meaning that every person should have the same equal opportunities as the wealthy. The wealthy make decisions costing the poor their civil liberties or their lives. Many people fight for a better living and usually get brushed aside and are not able to gain better accommodations. “The gatekeeper gives him a stool and allows him to wait until he gets permission inside,” this line can be criticized as the wealthy trying to keep the poor satisfied by giving them the littlest possible. Many people like the man, are consistent and try their hardest to be noticed and allowed a chance to see how it is to be on the other side.

Although my group and I chose the psychological approach, I now think the Marxist approach is more convincing because of the representation of structure and the constant need to reach the law. Usually, the law is created by the most powerful people and these peoples are considered wealthy. Their social standing is higher than the lowest class, therefore giving them an opportunity to control the law. The gatekeepers and the represent the social hierarchy and the constant struggle to reach the inside reminds me of how things are right now in America. Just as the man, many people fight to be heard and try to gain better opportunities, but the system keeps them from doing so, keeping them from gaining access to the “law.” The law is a representation of wealth and politics. “Everyone strives after the law,” and many fight for social change, but doors are always being shut. This approach also seems more relevant with what was going on around Kafka’s time.