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Fear Of Authority In Franz Kafka's Before The Law

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“Before the Law” by Franz Kafka is about a man who seeks to accomplish a goal, but ultimately fails due to his fear of authority. The doorkeeper explains to the man that “it is possible, but not at present” to get through the door (Kafka 185). From the very beginning, it is stated that entry is not impossible, just difficult. The man “decides that he had better wait for permission to enter after all”, upon examining the description of the doorkeeper’s appearance “in his fur coat, with his large, pointed nose and his long, skinny, black Tartar beard” (Kafka 185). It is apparent that the man is fearful of the doorkeeper and seems to be afraid of what might happen if he tries to go through the door without permission. However, the doorkeeper

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