Kaylee's 3rd 500

In the chapters following this first incident, K. begins to realize how unusual the government truly is. From pornography found in their law books to the smothering air of the court offices, K. finds that proving his innocence will be more difficult than expected and that the government prefers it that way. Thus slowly dimming the future of K.’s freedom.

            In Chapter 5, K. is tested yet again as he stumbles across an unlikely scene in the junk room of the bank. As he is walking by his attention is interrupted by a moaning noise from inside the junk closet. When he opens the door he finds three men, two of which are about to be flogged and happen to be K.’s former guards. They claim that they are being punished as a result of K.’s complain of their “corruption” and plea for their salvation. Confused by the entire situation, K. attempts to bribe the flogger. He is unsuccessful and the guards are beaten. As one of them begins to scream, K. withdraws from the room to make sure that none of his coworkers hear or see what is occurring. When outside, one woman asks where the yelling came from and K. claims it was merely a dog. Reluctant to go back inside the room, K. leaves the bank and returns home, abandoning the pleading guards.  In doing so, Joseph K. feels little guilt for leaving the men behind to face their torturer and goes about the rest of his day unbothered. The next day he returns and in order to fulfill his curiosity, not his conscious, he checks the junk room once again. To his surprise the men are still there. K. slams the door and requests that his assistant cleans out the room immediately. K.’s inability to fight for the guards could possibly be an act of revenge from their previous meeting when they had arrested him or a vow to remain inactive in order to prevent further trouble.  The incident could also be solely a fragment of K.’s imagination, revealing information of his unconscious. Even in this senseless occurrence K. reacts in a negative way, failing to succeed yet another trial of his absolution, further crystallizing his cruel and unfortunate fate.

            Following the incident with the guards, K.’s Uncle Karl pays him a visit. During the visit, Karl is dismayed by K.’s nonchalance and becomes increasing worried for him. As he reaches the middle of his criminal trial and his perspective on his future has barely been tainted by the unjust legal system. His arrogance that was so prominent in the beginning of the novel continues on just as his lust for the ladies, as he continues to have relations with the women involving his trial, not worried of the possible consequences or diverted attention.