Importance of a vulture

A vulture represents the fierce and ugly nature of the People's Court judge, Judge Feisler. The scavenging bird of prey will swoop in on dead animals and devour their flesh. Similarly, Judge Feisler is a mean, bad man who tries Otto and Anna even though they plead guilty. He wants to have his day in court and he wants to humiliate the criminal couple. Fallada describes him as having long knotty fingers like vulture's claws that curl open and closed as if digging into prey. His hands move back and forth as he becomes excited throughout the trial. It is the ultimate showdown between the bird-like Quangel and the vulture Feisler who can hardly wait for the other's death.