Before the Law by Franz Kafka tells the story of a man from the country who spends his entire life waiting for permission to enter "the Law," only to die without ever getting to step through the gate. Historically, Kafka wrote this text during an era where Europe was drowning in administrative practices and legal systems; the early 1910s. Kafka himself worked in an insurance office dealing with administrative rules.

I think that one of the strongest themes in this story is the man's biggest obstacle being himself! He waits for permission that is never granted, "here he sits for days and years" (Page 1), preventing himself from following his dream of seeing what is on the other side of that gate. He is fearful of breaking rules that were never actually stated. The doorkeeper never forbids entry, he only says, “but not now” (Page 1), and the man upholds the obedience himself. This theme stands out to me specifically because it becomes a metaphor for how people (including me) let fear stop them from pursuing opportunities. Many times, in my life I have thought to myself "but what if..." when in reality, there was no "what if," only my personal worries holding me back.

Kafka's writing style is simple on the surface, but thorough when you commit to reading it. I would label the style as thorough minimalism, but it is written similarly to a parable. It is short, plain, straightforward, and like something you would hear told out loud around a campfire rather than something you would read in a book. Which makes it fun! There isn't much dramatic language or emotional connection as he strips away everything except the situation itself, giving his audience the chance to immerse ourselves in it, creating an almost dreamy setting.