Acknowledging “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

Lately in politics, many of us have noticed a series of individuals losing power and that resulting in power shifts, most recently in Thailand. In the novella, “The Metamorphosis”, Franz Kafka implies that every society needs a powerful individual to make the society work, if that individual loses power, there will be others that will claim the shifted power; Kafka does this efficiently through characterization, through alienation of that power-less individual, and through a conflict concerning struggle for power.

In his novella, Franz Kafka uses characterization to prove that the characters in the Samsa family will adapt to the situation and start making up to the hole left by Gregor. In particular, the father has adapted to the new situation by getting some work. “With a kind of stubbornness, Gregor’s father refused to take his uniform off even at home; while his nightgown hung unused on its peg Gregor’s father would slumber where he was, fully dressed, as if always ready to serve and expecting to hear the voice of his superior even here.”(p.33-34) Here the father takes on the role of the patriarch of the family and takes a lot of pride in his work and the “responsibility” that he has; this is shown when he changes his appearance from untidy to relatively groom. Grete also has started working as the demand for money in the family rises. “His sister ran back and forth behind her desk at the behest of the customers.” (p.35) The sister has been growing up as the story progresses, as the family is starting to need it, she starts to make money. Last but not least, the mother also starts adapting to the new situation. “The charwoman would do the heaviest work; everything else was looked after by Gregor’s mother on top of the large am...

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... try and get rid of it.” (p.43) In this line Grete uses the power she has in the family to decide the fate of her brother, it was this decision that gave the last blow to Gregor.

When a powerful individual loses its power in a society, there will be someone to take that individual’s role in the society, because the society can’t work without that individual. Franz Kafka made this into a major theme in his novella, The Metamorphosis. He describes Gregor as a previously powerful individual, who loses its power and is being isolated by his family members, the new power holders. The family members have to change themselves and have to struggle to achieve that power. This theme is very closely related to present day politics, because the people get to choose those powerful individuals due to democracy.

Works Cited

Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.