Kafka takes traditional gothic themes and modernizes them.

One of the traditional Gothic elements that could potentially be considered modernized by Kafka in the Judgement are some religious aspects; Georg's father seems to be a metaphor of some type of religious judgment It seems to me that Georg is quite selfish and high thinking of himself, this is what makes his father angry. there is also strong dark emotions towards the end of the story when Georg's father tells him he is sentenced to death by drowning. One of the new twists Kafka brought into the Gothic world is Kafkaesque, this is greatly represented by the story the Castle in the fact K. is walking with an intention to make it to the castle but as the story goes on it seem he is getting no where. K. follows the road that initially appeared to go towards the castle but it only seems to go the wrong direction. K., like anyone else, finally gets fed up with this and leads himself off the path and we are left wondering what his final location is. There also seems to be a bit of isolation in the piece where K. attempts to find a local companion or someone to get closer to during his stay at the castle but cannot.