Blog Post #1- Ajanee Evans

650 words

In the short story “Before the Law,” by Franz Kafka, the author creates an intriguing story that can be interpreted into many ways using several literary theories. Because this story was written in such a way, my group had three main literary theories that we associated the story to. The first was a Marxist approach, the second a formalism approach, and the third was a reader-response approach. Although all of us had interesting analysis when it came to the story, I think the best approach would have been historical criticism due to the ability to gain a deeper understanding of the text by knowing the history behind it.

            The first interpretation in my group coincided with the ideas of a Marxist reading. This means that throughout the text economic classes and issues were identified and primarily focused on to provide the main theme of the story. This approach was seen because of how the gatekeeper was described as more powerful as the countryman and having more authority over him. There is such an evident class difference between the two characters that the gatekeeper even mentions, “I am powerful. And I am the most lowly gatekeeper’” which shows that there is no equality in status in the area they are in (Kafka). The socioeconomic injustice within this story is seen further through how the gatekeeper has the authority to control the progression of the countryman’s life. After making the man sit and wait his whole life to enter the law, the gatekeeper still ends up shutting the gate to the man’s hopes and dreams as well as to his life. This could be representative of how no matter how much time and space is spent working for the government or to become something special in the world, the powerful are still able to close the door to your life by simply being superior in rank.

             The next type of reading in our group was the reader- response and formalism approach. The reader-response approach was very popular throughout the group because there was many gaps and processes that had to be filled in. This means that in the story it is the readers job to use their perspective and imagination to help develop the story by filling in the holes the story doesn’t already tell. Because it is up to the reader to fill in the gaps of the story, it allows many interpretations of the story to unfold. While some of us looked at it in a Marxist point of view, it could have also been seen as psychological or a religious piece of work. Lastly, a formalism approach was used to help explain some of the minute details of the story. For example, the word “law” in this story had several meanings based on how it was used and described in the story overall. Other textual applications such as: tone, characters, and symbolism were also used to help further develop the story, like the symbolism of the gates blocking the man’s path physically and mentally. Although all of these theories helped us come to intriguing conclusions about the story, the most useful approach to understanding the story would be historical criticism.

            Historical Criticism would be the best approach to reading this story because of how it intertwines the details of that time with the writing at hand. In this case understanding that Kafka was a lawyer and from Germany could have a heavy impact on how the story is read and interpreted in the reader’s mind. It would also help explain the meaning of the “law” more due to the fact that this story was from a greater piece of material that covered a trial. Knowing the history behind any piece of work only enhances the meaning of the story because not only are contextual element better understood, but the underlying theme may also be revealed in a simpler way.