The Gate
The Gate is an institution rather than a human character, but it functions as the novel’s central antagonist.
The book
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeThe Gate is an institution rather than a human character, but it functions as the novel’s central antagonist. It issues decrees, requires documents, controls official truth, and places its authority inside hospitals, newspapers, phones, and religious rulings. The building never opens, and no visible ruler accepts responsibility. The Gate’s fate is unchanged at the end. Its power lies partly in remaining faceless while other people carry out its work.
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