Q) What is Law?
Ans) The dictionary says: the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties
OR something regarded as having binding force or effect.
OR the body of divine commandments as expressed in the Bible or other religious texts.
There are many other definitions too, & the funny part is almost all the definition of Law fits with the story. Law can also be thought of as the ultimate laws of the universe which govern our very own existence, the very truth or the truth which an individual seeks. To be honest, this definition also fits the story. For the sake of this piece let’s consider that Law is something which you want to achieve.
So, whatever this Law is for you before it sits a gatekeeper. The gatekeeper guards the Law against you. The gatekeeper is nothing but your inner critic. The one that points out reasons that you are not good enough to achieve what you want. It will always say that he cannot grant you entry at the moment but some other time “It is possible,” “but not now.” Hence even if the inside of the gate is tempting & you gather courage, the gatekeeper will make sure that you feel he is powerful & there are many more & stronger obstacles waiting for you.
Therefore you like the protagonist of the story waits for days & years hoping that someday the gatekeeper will permit you. You will try all the easy paths to persuade the gatekeeper “so that you do not think you have failed to do anything,” except you don’t give it a real shot. As you grow old you’ll forget about the other external resistances which you might have faced once you passed the gate rather you’ll realize that the only one obstructing you is this gatekeeper, which is your inner critic.
Most of the time we tend to think that maybe someone else traversing the same path might be the chosen one to help us pass this gate, often fail to understand that each individual at a certain stage of life gets their own gate which they have to cross by themselves. Sadly, the protagonist of the story fails to discover the same.
Thus the gate Closes.
The story is a thought-provoking one. The most beautiful aspect of it is the complexity in its simplicity. It does make you question yourself also by the various other interpretation it might have. Kafka is known for his visionary and profoundly enigmatic stories, & the story completely stands to it. The depth of the story does make you feel that the author has known this feeling personally to be able to present such an accurate picture.
The moral that the story is silently shouting at the top of its voice is that you are ready at this very moment to fight all the powerful gatekeepers that stand in your way, & take the steps to achieve whatsoever you desire.
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