The problem with the countryman in Kafka's "Before the Law" is that he is not enough "self." Though he doesn't give up, he doesn't fight enough for what he believes. He sits back and waits for things to happen instead of taking the initiative and unfortunately his great revelation occurs on the verge of death. Even if there is no such thing as a pure, untouched "self," the notion is inevitable. It seems like so many people are so caught up with trying to find out who they are, what their purpose is, trying to identify and distinguish this "self."
As the "subject," the countryman is easily intimidated by the enigmatic Law, and the doorman (seemingly a metaphor for culture). The doorman, as culture, asserts his power and the countryman, as the "subject," steps down and is so easily influenced. The doorman apathetically interviews the countryman to hint at some sense of "self," but the countryman doesn't catch on. After all, culture is what gives us reason to think that we can be unique. There's a niche carved out for the unique to occupy, and it is always full. The same goes for every other label.
1 comment:
EM: Good start here. . .I like your identification of the gatekeeper as culture- how then do you counter that the gate was made for this one man, not all other countrymen just like him? :EE
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