Natalie

The Trial recounts the story of a man, Joseph K., convicted of a crime he knows nothing about in a country whose legal proceedings are mediocre at best. Nearing the end of the novel K. is met by a priest who tells him the story of “Before The Law”. In this story the protagonist attempts to seek knowledge and access to the law, but is denied access by the gatekeeper. The story “Before The Law” mimics and draws parallel comparisons between itself and K.’s situation. This parable was added by Kafka in order to draw attention to the greater meaning in the novel. The story of “Before The Law” mimics what occurs to K. in The Trial by Franz Kafka. The gatekeeper symbolizes K.’s arrestors and the low ranking court officials, the countryman symbolizes K, and the door, along with whatever is behind it, represents the law and K.’s trial.