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- The Parable of the Doorkeeper
- The Parable is simple and straightforward. It foreshadows the
- death of K. Although that is not all it does. The character of the
- doorkeeper is the interesting one. He is made up of all the characters
- that K has interacted with, thatt have to do with his case. The
- doorkeeper is a blend of the warders, the Inspector, the washer-woman,
- the distrist judge, the lawyer and the two men who kill him.
- The story is an easy giveaway. It tells K what has happened in
- the past, and what will happen to him next. The story and its content
- itself are not really that important, one knows how the plot of the
- novel will turn out, almost from the outset. The importance lies in the
- discussion K has with the priest. The story was a simple, and poetic,
- way to summarize the entire novel. The main part of the story worth
- viewing and discussing are the multiple character of the doorkeeper.
- The first character of the doorkeeper that one sees is the
- warders. When the man goes to the ôplaceö of law, he encounters the
- doorkeeper. The doorkeeper does not allow him to go inside. This reminds
- one of how K was treated, by the warders, when he tried to discover his
- charge. The act of refusing entry into the house of law, can be
- considered to the ôincarcerationö that K was put under. Although, it
- appeared that the greater part in impeding entry into the house of law,
- can be compared to the judges.
- When the doorkeeper says that maybe K will be allowed entry
- later, it reminds one of the Inspector. He attempts to act as KÆs
- friend, and gives him no solace, by saying that he knows nothing. The
- Inspector says, that he knows nothing about the manÆs charge, and is
- probably the only one whoÆs on his ôsideö. The doorkeeper never says
- this to the man, but the man finds the doorkeeper his only friend.
- The attitude that the doorkeeper displays that he might seem
- small, but the guys after him get bigger and worse, reminds one of how
- the washer woman talks about the judge. The way she says that this judge
- is rather nice, and how itÆs not worth taking them all on is just how
- the doorkeeper talks about the doorkeepers that succeed him.
- The little interludes that the doorkeeper does converse with
- him, reminds one of the special attitude presented by the lawyer towards
- K. Even though the conversations were brief, they showed that the
- doorkeeper wasnÆt made of stone, and there was some emotion behind the
- system. that is pretty much what the lawyer is there for. he doesnÆt
- really does any good work for K, but he tries to make him feel better.
- When the doorkeeper shuts the door, he obviously reminds one of
- the two ôkillersö. The way that the doorkeeper moves over toward the
- dying man and tells him that he will now shut the door that was meant
- for him. Just like the two men, they come over, donÆt talk too much, and
- eventually kill him.
- The man who comes to seek justice, reminds one more of Block. He
- is too meek, and submissive. He doesnÆt match KÆs strong, arrogant,
- brash, behavior.