Blog Post 1, Topic 1

An initial reading of Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” may leave readers feeling confused about its meaning. Due to the ambiguous nature of the story, the readers can utilize the reader-response theory to fill in the gaps to interpret it. However, my group and I agreed that applying Marxist criticism is most effective.

There are several examples that provide concrete evidence that the story is best understood using Marxist criticism. For instance, the gatekeeper serves as a powerful oppressor and the man is his powerless victim. The man spends his entire life attempting to gain entry into the law. He gives up all his possessions, no matter how valuable, to persuade the gatekeeper, who gladly takes everything. He gives the man false hope by saying, “I am taking this only so that you do not think you have failed to do anything.” In doing so, the gatekeeper becomes increasingly powerful throughout the story, while the man grows weaker, older and more powerless. Furthermore, the gatekeeper is described as wearing a fur coat. Once the man notices this, he realizes that the gatekeeper is of a higher socioeconomic class and decides to wait to receive his permission before going through the gate. In addition, the man thinks that “the law should always be accessible for everyone,” which is not true. When the man is about to die, the gatekeeper tells him that the entrance was specifically designated for him. Perhaps, it was predetermined that the man would never enter his gate due to his low socioeconomic status. Maybe those who attempt to enter gates guarded by the stronger gatekeepers have higher socioeconomic statuses and thus, have a greater chance of accessing the law. Throughout the text, this socioeconomic inequality is evident and is a key element of Marxist criticism.  

Using the reader-response theory, this story can be interpreted differently by various readers. For instance, “the law” has an unclear meaning. A reader may take on the literal meaning of “the law” and perceive the story as a man’s unsuccessful journey to access the law. In this interpretation, only government officials have the power to alter the law. Since the man holds no position of power, he fails to enter the law. However, a more religious interpretation may view “the law” as a place like Heaven. The man spends his entire life in pursuit of God and doing things that he believes will help him get into Heaven. Initially, the man patiently sits in front of the gate for years, symbolizing his faith in God. The gatekeeper represents the obstacles in life that the man could not overcome, causing the man to lose sight of himself and his faith. This loss could explain why he was never able to pass through the gates.

While the reader-response theory is a plausible approach in analyzing “Before the Law, there is more compelling evidence in the story that points toward Marxist criticism. This approach highlights how socioeconomic factors account for differences in people’s lives, which is evident throughout the story. By itself, the reader-response theory has too many possibilities for interpretation, which may stray from the author’s meaning behind the story. However, if applied in conjunction with Marxist criticism, it can be used to further our understanding and create an even better reading.