Kaylee's Seventh Reaction

            In the next section,The Flogger, Franz Kafka continues to challenge Joseph K. psychologically as he beings to lose his mind. The chapter reiterates the unpredictability and instability of the government. K. finds himself battling his subconscious and the will of the bureaucracy.

            As the reading begins, K. is lured to the stockroom closet by his office in the bank. He has never been inside but has always pictured it merely as a junk room.  As he opens the door to the room, the suspected groans come to life as he sees two guards and a flogger amidst the dark stock room. I think it is really strange how the government has the power to perform business wherever they chose. The scene is almost unimaginable because it is so random. The darkness of the tone emits the insidious nature of the government.  It is strange how their business is done is in sealed off, creepy locations. As the book develops, we learn little of the government other than the fact it is extremely unpredictable and disorganized.

            The confrontation between K. , the guards and the flogger follows the peculiarity of the story as the guards are being punished as a result of how K. commented on their behavior at the first interrogation. In what society does the government care how the convicted is treated or actually listens to what they have to say regarding their officials? K. tries to help them, but “looses” his chance when he is forced to cover up for the guard that screams of pain. K.’s attempts to help the men show a side of compassion and understanding of the situation. He doesn’t think the men should be punished for what he said. K.’s subconscious refuses to let the thought of the guards out of his mind after he leaves, he feels extremely guilty. The following day when he returns to work he checks behind the door once again and see the men exactly how they were the previous day. One of the guards screams for him, but he shuts the door immediately. Why were the men in the same situation as they were the day before? Was this occurrence even real? And why didn’t K. choose to help the men once again if he had felt so guilty about not before? This was another chance to, but he turned it down. 

            This chapter reminded me of Kafka’s The Penal Colony due to the reoccurring element of torture and justice, both of the guards and K. due to his inability to help. K.’s situation is messing with his mind, blurring reality and fantasy; it is becoming more and more unclear to identify what is real and what is not.