Introduction
Before the law is a short allegorical story in Franz Kafka’s novel, ‘The Trial’. He describes a society that is full of oppression, slavery, corruption, inhumanity yet the existing law is inaccessible. A man from the country tries fruitlessly to reach law but the doorkeeper tells him he cannot access the law.
Ironically, the doorkeeper claims the door belongs to the citizens and it is always open but nobody goes through it. Contemporarily, most laws are inaccessible but when one access them they are full of corruption and impunity hence at the end becoming meaningless to the people.
Although, the judicial system exists in all governing systems in the world to adhere to the rights and freedom of people, citizens of different nations are yet to feel or enjoy its role in the society. Therefore, the fact that the man wastes all his lifetime and wealth waiting for his chance to access the law reveals the dissatisfaction of the judicature as a branch of justice in the society.
The inaccessible Law
The rules and regulations governing the major branches of justice make it tough for an ordinary citizen to access or realize justice in the world. Kafka comments that the, “the doorkeeper is limited to the function of an obstacle” (1). Unfortunately, only few people like the politicians, rich men and senior government officials break the obstacles. According to the story, the man is in need of justice and therefore attempts to reach it. However, on every door stands a doorkeeper with stronger and influential power than the previous.
Although the door is open, the first doorkeeper tells him he cannot go through it now but he has a potential in future (Kennedy and Gioa 6). When he tries to peep through the gate, the first doorkeeper allows him but tells him there are more doorkeepers he has to seek permission from before he reaches the law. Unfortunately, the third doorkeeper turns out to be wick, awful and fearsome that he is unable to approach.
Therefore, the law seems to be harder, tougher and inaccessible contrary to what he had thought earlier. Similarly, there is a tiring procedure for any individual to access the judicature while those who succeed in the process have to reveal identification in every office. The physical process and operational procedures involved shy away most citizens who want justice to prevail.
The lawmakers and enforcers promote inhumanity, impunity and corruption in the judicature or society. Due to greediness and selfishness lawyers, judges, police officers take bribes and rule unjustly therefore oppressing the less fortunate or poor people. At last, the doorkeeper grants the man a sit and tells him to wait for his chance. Day’s turns into weeks, months and years but his chance does not come. Everyday at least seeks permission for admission into the law but all is in vain.
The doorkeeper habitually interrogates him about his origin, family but all this leads to him giving him bribes. The doorkeeper tells him “I am taking this only so that you do not think you have failed to do anything” (Kafka 15). The man sacrifices everything he has and bribes the doorkeeper who shamelessly accepts. The bribery act is similar to the present world where one has to cough out something in exchange for service.
This is common in all institutions especially work, schools, hospitals and the judiciary. In addition, people sell their property like land, houses among others in order to get services that should be on free offer. Likewise, the position of one in the society determines his/her justice that is why the doorkeeper continually inquires about the background of the man.
Many aspects hinder people from accessing the law, the powerful politicians, selfish individuals, judges, lawyers, the law enforcers and the tiring judicial systems among others. For instance, in the story the man concludes the doorkeepers as the obstacles to the law. However, the doorkeepers are respecting rules from the above or leaders.
He has grown old and unable to see clearly even his clothes infested with fleas but he still hopes the doorkeeper will let him in. Although his days on earth are numbered, he asks the doorkeeper why he is unable to pass through the get. The doorkeeper ironically tells him nobody else accesses the law and the gates belong to the man but he has to close.
Similarly, the current society gives false hopes to ordinary citizens about their rights and freedom. However, the inefficient judicial system drags cases for year even up to more than ten years leading to dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, people die while fighting for justice in the courts through either natural death or assassinations to conceal the concrete evidence.
Conclusion
In summary, although many people in the world try to seek for justice, the judicial system has many obstacles like the rules/regulations, law enforcers, lawyers, judges and prominent individuals.
The robust procedure with corruption in the individuals in the judiciary turns away most people who pursue their rights. Finally, the man in the country dies without access to the law yet he had sacrificed all his time and belongings in order to access the law. Likewise, the contemporary world is full of inhumanity and impunity and hence the law is only accessible to the favorites.
Works Cited
Kafka, Franz. The trial. Berlin: Berlin press, 1925.
Kennedy, Joseph, and Gioa, Dana. Before the law an introduction to fiction, Poetry, drama and writing .New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.