Adversity In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor’s transformation into a bug and his family’s conflicted emotions prove adversity cannot stop a family from fighting to be with their loved ones. Each of Gregor’s family members has their own conflict; Gregor’s sister Grete becomes frustrated balancing caring for Gregor and working at her new job, his mother fears Gregor’s grotesque body but wants to see her son, and his father struggles to keep Gregor in the family after his father takes back his role as head of the house. With all of them trying to turn Gregor back, the ending of the story is more tragic, as none of them can save him from his inevitable death.
Initially in a close relationship with Gregor, Grete finds herself hating the mere sight

of him. After he rejects the basin of warm milk, Grete brings him an array of food, and “knowing that Gregor would not eat in her presence, she withdr[aws] quickly and even turn[s] the key, to let him understand that he could take his ease as much as he liked” (91). Here Grete displays her familiarity with Gregor; her “knowing,” or perceiving, demonstrates that she is well aware of Gregor’s preferences. Although his appearance agitates her, she still wants to take care of him. Turning the key shows that she thinks Gregor’s comfort is crucial. Only after weeks of taking care of him does Grete’s consideration waver. Gregor describes how she “hurriedly pushe[s] into his room with her foot any food that [is available” (114) and her cleaning of his room “[can] not [be] more hastily done” (114).

“Hurriedly” and “hastily” reveal Grete focuses more on providing for the

family, rather than making sure Gregor feels comfortable. Though Grete appears to lose her compassion, after the three lodgers flee at the sight of Gregor, Grete proclaims: “‘I won’t utter my brother’s name in the presence of this creature’” (124). She appears to despise Gregor, yet part of her wants him to turn back into a person. “This” signifies her attempt to separate the idea of Gregor, her human brother, from the bug she sees. She tells her parents multiple times, “‘We must try to get rid of it’” (124), referring to Gergor as an “it” as opposed to her brother, a coping mechanism to convince herself that expelling the bug is not really expelling Gregor.
Gregor’s mother has an internal struggle about continuing to be a loving mother or hiding from a frightening creature who claims it is her son. When Gregor first comes out of his bedroom, she screams “‘Help, for God’s sake, help!’” (85), afraid that Gregor will attack her. Her fear makes the situation more pitiful; a mother should never be afraid of her own son. A month after Gregor’s transformation though, “his mother, moreover, beg[ins] relatively soon to want to visit him” (100). Grete and Gregor’s father do not have to convince her to visit Gregor; “want,” or yearns, displays her maternal instinct and desire to see her son, regardless of her intense fear of Gregor’s appearance. Unlike Grete, Gregor’s mother is upfront about her feelings toward Gregor. When Grete and Gregor’s father attempt to stop her from entering Gregor’s room, she exclaims, “‘do let me in to Gregor, he is my unfortunate son!’” (100). Here she expresses that she still loves him and thinks he is still part of her family, saying “my son,” as opposed to just asking to enter the room. She continues to hope that he will still turn back into a human. However, Gregor still frightens her, and she unintentionally excludes him from their conversation, “pointing toward his room, [saying]: ‘Shut that door now, Grete,’” (113-114). Unintentionally, her fear is more powerful than her desire to be close with Gregor, and she isolates him by saying “that,” an adjective implying both revulsion and dissociation. The alternating emotions of fear and love show a mother will do anything for her child.
Due to his sudden increase of responsibility, Gregor’s father has a hard time finding a balance between treating his son humanely and protecting his wife and daughter.

The first time Gregor reveals himself to the family, he recalls his father “drove him back, hissing and crying ‘Shoo!’ like a savage” (86). “Savage” demonstrates his father’s harsh behavior toward Gregor, a behavior he has never shown before. He is mostly thinking about making sure Grete and Gregor’s mother are safe, without stopping to think of Gregor’s safety. Gregor’s father uses the transformation as an opportunity to prove he is still an important member of the family. When Gregor is in his room one day, he thinks back to when his father lost his job, remembering he had an “unsuccessful life” (97). What Gregor really means is that his father failed at taking care of his family. Thus during Gregor’s time as a bug, his father overcompensates for his previous lack of effort by acting aggressive toward Gregor to protect his family, forgetting that Gregor is still his son. After Gregor’s mother faints at seeing Gregor’s appalling body, his father attacks Gregor, who knows “his father believe[s] [in] only the severest measures suitable for dealing him” (108). His desire to protect his family pushes away all logic; he “believes in,” or is convinced that the only way to keep Gregor away is through excessive

force.
Gregor’s metamorphosis parallels a real-life struggle that many people encounter. When people see their family members change for the worse, coming to terms with the new reality is difficult. They quickly become conflicted with their emotions; should they pretend nothing has changed and hope their family member returns to normal? Or should they intervene, but risk driving their loved one away? Kafka uses the Samsa family as an example of a family struggling to find an equilibrium.