Untouched and Unique Self

I see the countryman as a representative of society and the general public, specifically in Western civilization. His existence is defined by both himself and the law or society. First, he sees himself as a "unique" individual, completely seperate and unaffected by the law. While evidence suggests otherwise, he refrains from defending himself and his place or rank.

Although the countryman avoids entering the doorway, I still see him influenced by the law when he obeys the doorman and refrains from entering. By indulging his desire to disobey the doorman he sacrifices his life. At the expense of time, he entertains the idea of obedience and remains an observer. In this way, he plays the role of a cultural "subject," directly responding to the doorman who symbolizes the law.

With the man's deliberate choice to avoid the doorway, he is allowing his ignorance to unfold through his role and the law's role in this pull and tug. The "unique" and "untouched" self both play their part and are directly related. It suggests that perhaps you cannot have one without the other. In this way, Kafka is suggesting that the self is a necessary category and to assume it is not could be a dangerous delusion.