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    Before The Law PDF

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    Wellington Lins
    The story is about a man who goes to a gatekeeper outside the entrance to the law. The gatekeeper refuses to let the man inside. Over many years, the man tries various ways to convince the gatekeeper to let him in, but the gatekeeper always refuses. As the man gets older, he realizes the entrance was meant for only him, as no one else has tried to enter. The gatekeeper then closes the gate, leaving the man unable to access the law.

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    Before The Law PDF

    Uploaded by

    Wellington Lins
    13 views2 pages
    The story is about a man who goes to a gatekeeper outside the entrance to the law. The gatekeeper refuses to let the man inside. Over many years, the man tries various ways to convince the gatekeeper to let him in, but the gatekeeper always refuses. As the man gets older, he realizes the entrance was meant for only him, as no one else has tried to enter. The gatekeeper then closes the gate, leaving the man unable to access the law.

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    The story is about a man who goes to a gatekeeper outside the entrance to the law. The gatekeeper refuses to let the man inside. Over many years, the man tries various ways to convince the gatekeeper to let him in, but the gatekeeper always refuses. As the man gets older, he realizes the entrance was meant for only him, as no one else has tried to enter. The gatekeeper then closes the gate, leaving the man unable to access the law.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    13 views2 pages

    Before The Law PDF

    Uploaded by

    Wellington Lins
    The story is about a man who goes to a gatekeeper outside the entrance to the law. The gatekeeper refuses to let the man inside. Over many years, the man tries various ways to convince the gatekeeper to let him in, but the gatekeeper always refuses. As the man gets older, he realizes the entrance was meant for only him, as no one else has tried to enter. The gatekeeper then closes the gate, leaving the man unable to access the law.

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    15/03/2017 BeforetheLaw

    BeforetheLaw
    byFranzKafka(/author/franzkafka/biobooksstories)

    TranslationbyIanJohnston

    Beforethelawsitsagatekeeper.Tothisgatekeepercomesamanfromthecountrywhoaskstogainentryintothelaw.Butthe
    gatekeepersaysthathecannotgranthimentryatthemoment.Themanthinksaboutitandthenasksifhewillbeallowedtocome
    insometimelateron.Itispossible,saysthegatekeeper,butnotnow.Thegatetothelawstandsopen,asalways,andthe
    gatekeeperwalkstotheside,sothemanbendsoverinordertoseethroughthegateintotheinside.Whenthegatekeepernotices
    that,helaughsandsays:Ifittemptsyousomuch,trygoinginsideinspiteofmyprohibition.Buttakenote.Iampowerful.AndI
    amonlythemostlowlygatekeeper.Butfromroomtoroomstandgatekeepers,eachmorepowerfulthantheother.Icannotendure
    evenoneglimpseofthethird.Themanfromthecountryhasnotexpectedsuchdifficulties:thelawshouldalwaysbeaccessible
    foreveryone,hethinks,butashenowlooksmorecloselyatthegatekeeperinhisfurcoat,athislargepointednoseandhislong,
    thin,blackTartarsbeard,hedecidesthatitwouldbebettertowaituntilhegetspermissiontogoinside.Thegatekeepergiveshim
    astoolandallowshimtositdownatthesideinfrontofthegate.Therehesitsfordaysandyears.Hemakesmanyattemptstobe
    letin,andhewearsthegatekeeperoutwithhisrequests.Thegatekeeperofteninterrogateshimbriefly,questioninghimabouthis
    homelandandmanyotherthings,buttheyareindifferentquestions,thekindgreatmenput,andattheendhealwaystellshim
    oncemorethathecannotlethiminsideyet.Theman,whohasequippedhimselfwithmanythingsforhisjourney,spends
    everything,nomatterhowvaluable,towinoverthegatekeeper.Thelattertakesitallbut,ashedoesso,says,Iamtakingthis
    onlysothatyoudonotthinkyouhavefailedtodoanything.Duringthemanyyearsthemanobservesthegatekeeperalmost
    continuously.Heforgetstheothergatekeepers,andthisfirstoneseemstohimtheonlyobstacleforentryintothelaw.Hecurses
    theunluckycircumstance,inthefirstyearsthoughtlesslyandoutloudlater,ashegrowsold,heonlymumblestohimself.He
    becomeschildishand,sinceinthelongyearsstudyingthegatekeeperhehasalsocometoknowthefleasinhisfurcollar,heeven
    asksthefleastohelphimpersuadethegatekeeper.Finallyhiseyesightgrowsweak,andhedoesnotknowwhetherthingsare
    reallydarkeraroundhimorwhetherhiseyesaremerelydeceivinghim.Butherecognizesnowinthedarknessanillumination
    whichbreaksinextinguishablyoutofthegatewaytothelaw.Nowhenolongerhasmuchtimetolive.Beforehisdeathhegathers
    inhisheadallhisexperiencesoftheentiretimeupintoonequestionwhichhehasnotyetputtothegatekeeper.Hewavestohim,
    sincehecannolongerliftuphisstiffeningbody.Thegatekeeperhastobendwaydowntohim,forthegreatdifferencehas
    changedthingsconsiderablytothedisadvantageoftheman.Whatdoyoustillwanttoknownow?asksthegatekeeper.Youare
    insatiable.Everyonestrivesafterthelaw,saystheman,sohowisitthatinthesemanyyearsnooneexceptmehasrequested
    entry?Thegatekeeperseesthatthemanisalreadydyingand,inordertoreachhisdiminishingsenseofhearing,heshoutsat
    him,Herenooneelsecangainentry,sincethisentrancewasassignedonlytoyou.Imgoingnowtocloseit.

    7.8

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