Chapter 5

Everything seems to be coming together. We finally get an idea of who K. is dealing with in regards to his accusations. K. stays at the bank working late. He walks passed the garbage room, and hears some odd noises. Out of curiosity, he steps in, and finds three men, two of which who were the guards to arrest him in Chapter 1, and one of which who is wearing a vest. To me, this man in the vest is the one K. should pursue more than the guards. Kafka brings this revealing type of attitude into Chapter 5. He makes it seem, at least to me, that this man in the vest is the man who employed the guards and who is ultimately controlling the guards. Instead of going to the courthouse and continuing to play this corrupt game, K. should opt out and begin pursuing this man in the vest, who to me seems like the man behind this whole corrupt mess.

It only fitting that now in this part of the novel, the guards ask for K.'s help in rescuing them from their punishment, when in Chapter 1, K. was asking for their help to why he was being arrested. Now, they ask for his help and he hints at some concern, but ultimately opts out and allows them to receive their punishment. The main worry for K. is that the other workers at the bank will hear, and it's justified. I know that I'd do the same, and I'd let them receive their punishment for convicting K. which leads me to my next point.

In the beginning of the novel, K. was acting like he was sort of condemning the guards because they were underlings and not on the same social 'rank' as him. And now, in Chapter 5, he acts the same way, by lying to the assistant and by leaving with an indifferent attitude. It's nice to see that K. hasn't completely changed, and the fact that he acts consistent throughout Chapter 5 is interesting. I think he will change sooner or later. He seems partially lonely, and I feel that the negativity surrounding his life will come to engulf him sooner or later.

The book is keeping me mildy interested, but I think Kafka could have done a better job of staying on course with the plot. Incidents like these have not proven to be that influential so far, so hopefully Kafka will tie it all up nicely soon.