The American Heritage Dictionary defines metamorphosis as ‘a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.’ This definition helps build a strong foundation for discussing the Marxist theories observed in Franz Kafka’s novella, “The Metamorphosis”.
The main idea developed from Marxism is that money is power. This is first sensed through the idea that the main character, Gregor Samsa, is a hard-working travelling salesman who has never missed a day of work in his life. It is stated that Gregor is working to get “the money together to pay off my parent’s debt [to him].” (Kafka 4) Since Gregor is perceived as a consistently hard worker, he is an example of the Proletariat class; derived from Marxism. The Proletariat class is generally seen as the working class, while the upper middle class, (Gregor’s family) is the Bourgeoisie. Gregor knows that his only means of survival is to continue working, even though his work gives him no benefit other than a meager paycheck. He says, "If I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I would have quit long ago" (Kafka 4). It is only monetary necessity that keeps him going to work every day. Conflict exists in Gregor's life between his human desire to work for his own direct benefit and the economic demands that alienate him by forcing him to work for someone else.
Gregor sticks to the same mindset that he had even before the change. Even though Gregor awakes one morning to find himself transformed into a giant bug, his thoughts don’t seem to change at all. The transformation is a sign of the breakdown of Gregor’s mind and his alienation. The audience is not told how the transformation happened or why; the event just happens unexpectedly. His life should have turned upside down bu...
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...d talked about the economic benefits they will have now that Gregor is dead. Since he became unable to work, Gregor had appeared worthless to his family and wasn’t missed, in the end.
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.
Works Cited
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis New York, Bantam, 1986 print
Straus, Nina Pelikan “Transforming Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’.” Signs 14.3 (1989)
... to do this every day Gregor would have had to have some sense of time. His dwindling human aspects are prominently marked in two places: the first when Gregor is incapable of communicating with his family and the sales manager and the second when he takes pleasure in rutting about in dirt and filth. Lastly, Gregor's loss of consciousness causes a polar change within his family. As Gregor is no longer able to earn money to support the family, everyone else is forced to take action to bring in capital. The most obvious change is in the father who transformed from a dead weight into a zealous worker. Despite Freedman's employment of flawed logic to formulate some of his theories, the majority of his conclusions are quite valid and probe deeply into the meaning behind Kafka's writing.
Gregor Samsa, a hard working salesman providing for his family in need, has sacrifice his own freedom for the sake of the survival of his family. As a provider, his family is expecting him to work, be successful, and bring home the wealth. Although Gregor doesn’t enjoy his tedious job in the slightest, he still agrees to do it. This is more influenced by his father’s debt rather than his own morals. “If it weren’t for my parents, I would have quit long ago, I would have gone to the boss and told him off” (Kafka 2). This shows that he is a frustrated individual. Gregor is someone who would likely hold in his own personal feelings to preserve the family name. A night of nightmares later, Gregor awakes to see his many little legs flailing about. He isn’t initially shocked by this horrid transformation and however terrible it looks to him, his primary focus is how is he going to get to work? In spite of everything, he is still in the mindset of working no matter what the cost. After all, he doesn’t want to lose the tr...
In other words, Gregor is willing to stay working, not having a care in the world how long it will or would have taken him to pay off his family’s debt. Also, even how uncaring he is, he hates his job. This visually shows how much he supports and cares for his family. One of the main reasons why Gregor is willing to keep working is to help his family from the debt, after his father's business collapsed. Gregor became aware that his family had fallen financially: “Already during the first day his father laid out all the financial circumstances and prospects to his mother and to his sister as well” (Kafka 42).
When comparing Franz Kafka and his personal life to The Metamorphosis it is obvious in more ways than one that he was writing a twisted story of his life. The emotional and physical abuse Gregor goes through are similar to what Kafka went through in real life. They were both abused and neglected by their fathers when they were disappointed with them. Kafka uses Gregor transforming into a bug as a way of exaggerating himself, trying to express his feelings and point of view. When writing, Kafka felt as if he was trapped in his room which he referred to as "the noise headquarters of the apartment". Gregor was an exaggeration of this because he could not leave the house to escape the noises and abuse.
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.
Even before Gregor Samsa’s random transformation, Gregor was practically dehumanized by his family members. They did not see him as a family member but rather as a source of income. Each member seemed to have a scarce to almost zero amount of interest or
“Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted it must be changed. If it cannot be changed it must be accepted.”- Winston Churchill. Change is frightening, but without change you can never accomplish a greater goal. Gregor experienced a dramatic change in his life. He may or may not have experienced the physical change described, but he did experience a mental change. The mental change opened Gregor’s eyes to what really mattered in life. Once Gregor accepted his physical change he was able to begin his mental change. Gregor’s values in life had changed dramatically from beginning to end. Though Gregor was subjected to ridicule, he was given the greatest gift. The opportunity to change is the greatest gift anyone can
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th Compact Ed. New York: Longman, 2013. 268-98. Print.
Prior to his metamorphosis, Gregor already resembles a working cockroach, living an automated life under the conditions of exploitation, discouraging his own life for his family’s basic and materialistic needs. This is shown when Gregor’s mother makes her claim: “You know that boy has nothing but work in his head! It almost worries me that he never goes out on his evenings off” (Kafka 95). This establishes the idea of G...
Each member hides behind a different excuse to avoid doing any work. However, once Gregor was taken away from them, they were given the push they needed to stop making excuses and provide for themselves. Mr. Samsa went from a man who “could not be expected to do much” to a bank messenger, Mrs. Samsa changed from a woman who had no expectations in her life because of her asthma to a successful seamstress, and Grete’s life transformed from days spent “dressing herself nicely, sleeping long, helping in the housekeeping, going out to a few entertainments and above all playing the violin” to devoting herself to be a salesgirl, even spending her evenings practicing her shorthand and French to improve (482). These jobs were not just a way for them to make ends meet, but were “admirable and likely to lead to better things later on” (499-500). In this way, Gregor’s family underwent their own metamorphosis into self-sufficient members of society. This happens often in today’s society. One example is the transition from high school to college. In high school, many teenagers are financially dependent on their family. Once they get to college, they are forced to get a job and provide for themselves, often for the first time. While this may be stressful at first, eventually they realize how to be self
...nces you from humanity, and this is also an argument in favour of Communism. This message is clearly portrayed in Gregor’s family, who are forced to find jobs after Gregor’s transformation. As a result of Gregor’s escape from the capitalist economic order, his family is drafted into it. From what we are told of their work periods, they seem to have become much like the old Gregor in their dehumanising jobs, becoming servants even at their home, for the lodgers. Only when they decide that it is necessary for the lodgers to leave and for them to take a ‘day off’ that that seem to be happy again. Though they mourn for Gregor, and in my opinion, they have some sort of ‘enlightenment’, realizing that their financial condition is not the most important aspect in of heir lives. The family takes a ‘day off’, something Gregor would never have done, and go for a walk together.
Kafka's prose emphasizes the economic effects on human relationships, therefore, by analyzing the images of Gregor, we can gain insight into many of the ideas the writer is trying to convey. Within the first few pages of the novella, readers promptly discover the proletariat in the story. Laboring as a traveling salesman, Gregor tries to support his family and pay off his father's debt due to a failed business venture. While lying in bed, he comments on his life as a traveling salesman “Day in, day out-- on the road. I've got the torture of traveling worrying about changing trains, eating miserable food, at all hours.
Gregor maintained his unselfish attitude throughout "The Metamorphosis." His only desire was to help his family and provide a nice life for them. After his metamorphosis however, all that he had done was simply forgotten. It was as if he never did anything at all. He was largely unappreciated and became nothing more than a burden. Kafka told the story of a man who gave everything to a family that took him for granted. They only cared about him when he became a nuisance and wanted him gone. Thus is the unselfish life of Gregor Samsa.
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis and Other Stories. 1st ed. Translated by Stanley Appelbaum. New York: Dover Publications, 1996.
Within the first few pages of the novella, we as readers quickly discover Gregor's role as the proletariat in the story. He is forced to labor as a traveling salesman, trying to support his family and pay off his father's debt from a failed business venture. While lying in bed, he comments on his life as a traveling salesman, "Day in, day out--on the road... I've got t...