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Literary analysis of the metamorphosis
Literary analysis of the metamorphosis
Literary analysis of the metamorphosis
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Story Title: “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
Image: Food Collection
“Milk like this was normally his favourite drink, and his sister had certainly left it there for him because of that, but he turned, almost against his own will, away from the dish and crawled back into the centre of the room” (19).
“Gregor answered to both sides: "I'm ready, now", making an effort to remove all the strangeness from his voice by enunciating very carefully and putting long pauses between each, individual word. His father went back to his breakfast” (9).
“After they had come back from taking his father to bed Gregor's mother and sister would now leave their work where it was and sit close together, cheek to cheek; his mother would point to Gregor's
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The first quote shows how Gregor’s appetite changes as a result of his new form. His change in appetite for food reflects his feelings about his family. Gregor feels happy with his family when he is eating and has an appetite. However, when hid appetite is not present, he does not like his family's reactions towards him. As their relationship declines throughout the story, so does Gregor’s appetite.
In our second quote and third quotes, we again see how Gregor relationship with his family is affected by food. When there is food on the table and it is being eaten by the family, the family feels positively about Gregory, as seen in the second quote. However in the third quote when the table is empty, they dislike Gregory. This relationship between Gregory and his family starts out as positive but slowly begins to decline and become more negative. As the story progresses the table goes from having the family’s food on it, to being empty.
Through the fourth quote we again see a connection between food and Gregor’s relationship with his family. The apple is the symbol of the family’s negative feelings towards Gregory. Whenever it is mentioned, from when it is first thrown at Gregory to when Gregor is about to die, it is reflecting the negative feelings of Gregory’s family towards
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His hunger at the beginning of the story shows that his feelings for his family are his normal, positive emotions. When he does not feel like eating, he has negative feelings for his family. His decreased appetite as the story goes on reflects his feelings of hurt from his family’s negative reactions. His appetite is decreasing because he is upset at how his family has reacted to his metamorphosis. Eventually the family stops feeding Gregor. This suggesting that the family has lost sympathy for him, and therefore also lost interest in feeding him
Food on the table reflects a positive relationship between Gregor and his family. When Gregor's father continues to eat his breakfast he demonstrates their relationship up to that point is still ok. By the time the table becomes empty the family is starting to resent Gregory for the emotional, physical, and financial burdens he is causing them. They also realize what this is doing to their family and that they do not know how to resolve
His family had no choice but to let her go. But, since then, the mother has been cooking and all she would serve Gregor was scraps from their leftovers. After all, the things he did for his family, not one had the audacity to say thank you. In fact, his mother, father and sister seemed as if they did not enjoy the things he did for them. The new apartment, the servants, was too much for his family.
"'Believe me, sir, there's something the matter with him. Otherwise how would Gregor have missed a train? That boy has nothing in his mind but the business. It's almost begun to rile me that he never goes out nights. He's been back in the city for eight days now, but every night he's home. He sits there with us at the table, quietly reading the paper or studying timetables."(10)
...increase her figure in the eyes of her parents. It was basically Grete who looked up to Gregor, but now it is flipped around. Lastly Grete states "It will be the death of you two, I can see it coming." Grete continues to insist that Gregor is no longer part of the family. In fact, according to her, Gregor is contributing to the disintegration of the family and must be killed to help save the family. Grete was the concerned one and now she refuses to call him her brother, and insists that he has to be disposed of just like any old household pest.
Gregor’s family loved him while he was an asset, but they despised him when he was a burden. When people lose value as laborers, they begin to lose value as a whole person, too. Thus, they also become a ‘bug’ in society because of their inability to continually contribute to the world. Metaphorically speaking, this is how Gregor felt. He was discarded at the slightest change in his laboring ability. Following the Marxist theory, economic and monetary principles far surpassed any emotional attachment in the Samsa family.
Douglas Angus conveys the similarities between Gregor to the story “The Beauty and the Beast” through his writing (Kafka's Metamorphosis and "The Beauty and the Beast" Tale). Gregor and the Beast were important at one point in time, especially to the people around them. Due to unfortunate circumstances which involve their transformations they disgust everyone. The Beast wasn’t always a beast, but in actuality a prince who refused to shelter an enchantress because she disguised herself as an ugly beggar with an unattractive appearance. This relieves his shallowness and evil heart which cursed and transformed him into a beast. As a result, the Beast hides in his castle and his curse can only be broken if his love for someone is return. The Beast hides successfully in his castle for many years until he is revealed to the town by Beauty. Beauty and the Beast fall in love with one another, but the townsfolk are terrified by the Beast and want to kill him. The importance of this event is a ...
c. Gregor feels that he has gain acceptance into humanity once again because his family had thought there was something wrong with him
First and foremost Gregor was betrayed by his own parents who failed to care for him after his transformation. The initial reaction of the parents, especially his father, set the tone for the whole novel. Instead of trying to resolve the issue with a reasonable solution, his father physically abuses him, “when from behind, his father gave him a hard
Gregor is the focal point of the family, he provided for them when they needed the money. Gregor also brought the family into turmoil with his change. Just as Gregor brought them into turmoil he brought on growth for the family. His death gave his family a new life. Before Gregor’s metamorphosis, his family was a helpless and selfish. There was little meaningful interaction among them. Once Gregor had become a creature the family had to become resourceful, they learned valuable skills. Gregor gave his family something that could bond them together, they discussed what to do about Gregor almost every night. Gregor’s tragedy brought his family together. Gregor served as a “savior” for his family, he played the same role that Jesus did for the world. Gregor’s life was taken so that the rest of his family may achieve salvation. His family had changed from a selfish and lazy group of people to a loving and caring family. As Gregor grew closer toward death, his family grew closer to
‘’This internal lack of self-esteem and the insecurities it produces are heightened by the change in his body. One of the major problems to reading The Metamorphosis is accepting Gregor’s transformation as literal and not merely symbolic; he has really turned into an insect. The strangeness of this fact, along with his and his family’s reactions to it, is what makes the narrative so fascinating and rich in interpretative possibilities’’(Silet). In the Metamorphosis it’s quite odd the way his family reacts to him during his transformation from a human to a creature. They act as if it was something common like, a flu or something. The fact that Gregor initially greets his metamorphosis with a chilling calm suggests that he previously saw himself as vermin like. In the same sense even when he knew he was a bug all he could think about was not being late for work. And even though Gregor was not the best salesmen he made going to work a priority because he wanted to provide for his family, Gregor never missed
...trayed by his family, he is imprisoned in his room; however, he "thought back on his family with deep emotion and love". His affection for his family results in his conviction that he must disappear, so that he can bring them happiness and peace. Gregor sacrifices his life and dies during the night to save his family from hardship. He loves them unconditionally, like Jesus loves his people, and does not criticise them for betraying and mistreating him. Gregor's final sacrifice of his life is the strongest comparison of his Christ-like attributes.
His family used to care about him but after the transformation, they were no longer concerned for him. Every time the family talks about money, Gregor feels guilty and embarrassed because he can no longer provide for them. When he was able to work before, he had brought money home and “They had simply got used to it, both the family and Gregor; the money was gratefully accepted and gladly given, but there was no special uprush of warm feeling” (Kafka Ch 2 pg 6). Now that he can no longer provide, the family had to come up with ways to keep up with finances. Gregor is dehumanized each time his sister Grete walks into the room to look after him because she cannot bear the sight of him so he hides each time. Each day following Gregor’s transformation, the family’s behavior towards him became more cynical and resentful towards him. They do not allow him to leave his room and worry about how they can go on living with him. They think of him as being a creature, losing their view of him as a human being and no longer important. When Grete decided to take his furniture out of his room, Gregor feels he is dehumanized because they are taking away the link to his humanity. When it came to Gregor’s father, Gregor would “run before his father, stopping when he stopped and scuttling forward again when his father made any kind of move.” His father then threw at apple at him which ‘landed right on his back and sank in; Gregor wanted to drag himself forward, as if this startling, incredible pain could be left behind him” (Kafka Ch 2 pg
... foot and tosses him across the room, while recovering from the unexpected assault Gregor’s father cries out, “Talk to me!” Gregor is reluctant to say a word. Gregor’s father throws him into the living room, Gregor takes refuge under the couch, his father takes hold of the broom and begins to mercilessly jab it under the sofa, “get out!” he shouts. Mrs. Samsa Gregor’s mother suddenly arrives from work, she sobs at the extraordinary sight. She attempts to get a hold of her husband but his stubbornness and fury impedes him from grasping on to his rationality. Gregor rises and points his finger in the direction of the two people standing before him, Mr. Samsa halts and Gregor accuses both of them of taking advantage of him. The noise from the radio is heard clearly as a deep silence segregates mother, father and son. Lament becomes apparent in their old crumpled faces.
Kafka’s shows the shifting in the structural dynamics when Gregor’s new formation changes the attitudes from supportive to neglect when his needs affect their wants, needs and lifestyle. Gregor’s sense of duty to family was his main propriety towards his family. Even though he loathed his job as a travelling salesman, his devotion to financially clear his parent’s debt and care for his sister Grete was more important. He dreamt of fleeing the tightly coiled grip from his parent’s hands, but his loyalty was a pertinent family duty. To Gregor, this was what family was all about.
...e it heard. In addition, allowing us, the readers, to better comprehend the extraordinary element of Gregor’s transformation as the personification of his rejected creative mind by his family.
Sadly, Gregor's family treats him like the beast that he truly has become. Seeing the damages as irreparable, they strip him of his worldly possessions and leave him in a "naked den fit for a beast." The struggle that he puts forth when his furniture is taken is symbolic of his struggle to return to human form.