There is a common phrase that goes somewhere along the lines of: stick and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. However popular this phrase may be, never has a quip been so wrong. Over and over, it has been shown that words can be just as sharp as any blade. An excellent example of this is found in one of Franz Kafka’s best-known short stories, “The Metamorphosis.” Written in 1915, the story opens with Gregor Samsa, a young man who has somehow turned into a terrifying, human-sized cockroach overnight. His number-one concern is not, however, that he is no longer entirely human; he is terribly concerned that he will be late to work and lose his job. Eventually, his family discovers his condition and is, as they should …show more content…
However, their reactions very quickly turn violent at Gregor’s expense. At first, Gregor attempts to talk to them and explain what has happened to him, but his speech comes out as “the voice of an animal” (Kafka 216). When he at last opens the door and the truth is revealed, nobody can believe their eyes. As the story goes on, Gregor is driven back into his room by his father, and is confined there for much of the story. This forced seclusion is one of the key contributors to his eventual demise, and his family, though they try at first to be kind and understanding toward him, eventually see him as a no longer a beloved member of the family, but as simply a hindrance to their …show more content…
In the beginning of the short story, the reader learns that the father’s business has failed, and he has been loafing around the house behaving almost as an invalid. The family has therefore been living off Gregor’s income alone; now that he can no longer work, the father must return to the workforce. Interestingly, his new job ends up opening many new doors for him and he becomes a successful businessman who now stands “fairly erect; wearing a smart blue uniform with gold buttons” (Kafka 230). Though Gregor’s metamorphosis indirectly creates positive change in the family’s lives, they do not credit him or even acknowledge that anything good can come from his condition. In fact, the father’s hostility toward Gregor increases drastically as he becomes more and more successful in his new job. While the mother and daughter still attempt to pay attention to Gregor and to make sure he is fed and decently comfortable, eventually they are just as fed up with him as the father, and there is only one thing on their mind. To them, their son is no more, having been overtaken by the monster they see before them, and the only option that lies before them is to rid themselves of the
Gregor’s father demotes societal views of himself by his actions. Gregor’s father depends on Gregor for the income for the family. When Gregor morphs into a bug, Mr. Samsa reluctantly becomes the sole provider for his family. Getting a ...
They just hope he brings money to the table to help out. Gregor had a goal he wanted to accomplish, and he was not planning on giving up anytime soon. Of course, after transforming into a bug had become much more difficult than what he was expecting, he still did what he possibly could of done to accomplish a better life for his family. In more depth of Gregor’s support towards his family, Kafka emphasizes the importance of family: “Anyway, I haven’t completely given up that hope yet. Once I’ve got together the money to pay off the parents’ debt to him- that should take another five or six years- I’ll do it for sure”(Kafka 5).
Gregor Samsa’s mother, whose name is never revealed, is a physically and constitutionally weak woman. She cares dearly for Gregor which is first shown by her distress as Gregor does not wake up at his usual time. It is evident that Gregor’s mother has the hardest time coping with his transformation. She can not bear to lay eyes upon Gregor. Though she has trouble adjusting, she doesn’t stop loving her only son. As Gregor’s mother and sister begin to move furniture out of his room, his mother stops to contemplate whether this is the right course of action. As Sheldon Goldfarb states in his critical essay, “When his mother and sister start removing his furniture, his mother's second thoughts provoke him to resist: he does not want to give up his human past and the possibility of returning to it” (Goldfarb). On the outside, Gregor’s mother reacts with repulsion at the sight of the bug, but on the inside still cares deeply about her son underneath. Gregor is able to see this and it gives him new hope.
Many views of existentialism are exposed in Kafka's Metamorphosis. One of these main views is alienation or estrangement which is demonstrated by Gregor's relationship with his family, his social life, and the way he lives his life after the metamorphosis. Namely, it suggests that man is reduced to an insect by the modern world and his family; human nature is completely self absorbed. Kafka reflects a belief that the more generous and selfless one is, the worse one is treated. This view is in direct conflict with the way things should be; man, specifically Gregor should be treated in accordance to his actions. Gregor should be greatly beloved by his family regardless of his state. This idea is displayed in three separate themes. First, Gregor's family is only concerned with the effect Gregor's change will have on them, specifically the effect it will have on their finances and reputation. They are more than willing to take completely gratuitous advantage of Gregor; he works to pay their debt and they are happy to indulge themselves with luxury. Gregor is the soul employed member of his family and this is their primary interest when Gregor is transformed. Secondly, Gregor is penalized for his efforts to be a good son, and a good worker; his toils are completely taken for granted by his family. The Samsa family is not interested in Gregor beyond their own needs, outsiders are reverentially treated. Thirdly, it is displayed by the positive changes that occur in the Samsa family as Gregor descends into tragedy and insignificance. As Gregor's life becomes more painful, isolated, and worthless the Samsa family becomes more functional and self-reliant.
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
In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the transformation of the character Gregor from a man to one of the most hated insects, a vermin, may seem exaggerated and ridiculous, becoming more so over the course of the story the action builds and the emotions and ideas of the characters in the story begin to change and become more prominent. Kafka’s intention, however, is to expose and explore the impoverishment of human psychology with respect to the ways in which changes in one’s circumstances and conditions reshape notions people have of the way they believe in justice and mercy which will be explore further in this analysis of Gregor Samsa.
From the beginning of the tragic novella, it’s made clear that Gregor values the comfortability of his family over his own. Working as a traveling salesman his whole life, Gregor resents his monotonous job and manager who “...talks down from the heights to the employees…” (Kafka 4) Yet he still goes to his job every day to help pay off debts that his parents owe to his manager after his father’s business failed five years earlier.
...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.
Nonetheless, the first thing on his mind was about his job and was worried more about missing the bus to attend work rather than himself. In the text, Gregor says: “It’s a lot more stressful than the work in the home office, and along with everything else I also have to put with these agonies of traveling-worrying about making trains, having bad, irregular meals, meeting new people all the time…” (Kafka 118). Gregor was more concerned about missing work rather than accepting the fact that he had lost his form as a human being. But, he was not the only one who was concerned about his well-being, but his family as well. The problem was his family only viewed him as the money maker; without him, the family will likely be poor without his support. Gregor’s family relied on him to provided them since his salary helped them a lot due to his traveling as a sales person. Kafka writes, “‘Gregor,’ a voice called-it was his mother- ‘it’s a quarter to seven. Didn’t you have a train to catch?’” (Kafka 120). The mother was concerned about Gregor not leaving the house on time to go to work. Although, readers/audience may assume that the mother was performing her role as a mother and checking on her children. But, if the mother was concerned about her son, she would of helped him instead of relying on him all the time. Gregor’s identity had been revealed when he is no longer
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
From the beginning of The Metamorphosis Kafka offers a comical depiction of Gregor’s “squirming legs” (Kafka 13) and a body in which “he could not control” (7). Gregor’s initial reaction to this situation was the fact he was late to his dissatisfying job as a salesman, but Gregor knows that he has to continue his job in order to keep the expectation his family holds upon him to pay of the family’s everlasting debt. When Gregor’s family eventually realizes that Gregor is still lying in his bed, they are confused because they have expectations on Gregor that he will hold the family together by working. They know if Gregor was to quit his job there would be a great catastrophe since he is the glue to keeping their family out of debt. The communication between his family is quickly identified as meager and by talking to each other from the adjacent walls shows their disconnection with each other. Kafka introduces the family as lacking social skills in order to offer the reader to criticize and sympathize for Gregor’s family dynamics. Gregor’s manager makes an appearance quickly after experiencing the dysfunction within the fami...
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka is an interesting and extremely allegorical tale. The story starts out by introducing the main character, Gregor Samasa, who is a traveling salesman. One morning Gregor awakens to find that his body has been transformed into something unusually horrifying, a large insect with many tiny legs.
It seems to be very rare to stumble upon an honest, crystal-clear self reflection and criticism, a true necroscopy of one’s self, because it is much easier to “beholdest [..] the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye” [Matthew 7:3]. Perhaps it is only through the eyes of a vermin that Franz Kafka was finally able to open up completely to his father but, most importantly, to himself, reaching a level of frankness that could not even be attained in “Letter to His Father”. In “The Metamorphosis”, the theme of humanness and identity is revealed through the eyes of Gregor Samsa, who, in his claustrophobic, anxiety-ridden state of being trapped in the body of a vermin, experiences having his whole conception of identity changed while watching his life slip away in front of his eyes, as his family contributes to his final act of giving up. Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” completely messes with any conceptions of humanness and identity a reader might hold, and perfectly captures the element of anxiety that emerges simultaneously with accepting that you do not know yourself at all. At first, the book seemed like an abandonment of common sense, a completely absurd situation, nothing more than an “entomological fantasy”.
Gregor’s own decisions, along with others, ultimately cause his isolation and lead to the dehumanization