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 "place" 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 "incarceration" 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 K's

friend, and gives him no solace, by saying that he knows nothing. The

Inspector says, that he knows nothing about the man's charge, and is

probably the only one who's on his "side". 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 it's 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 wasn't made of stone, and there was some emotion behind the

system. that is pretty much what the lawyer is there for. he doesn't

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 "killers". 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, don't 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 doesn't match K's strong, arrogant,

brash, behavior.