Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

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The Metamorphosis Research paper
Franz Kafka, in his novel The Metamorphosis, explores two conflicting ideas through his protagonist Gregor: unity and isolation. Gregor’s transformation created a whole life of distress for him, but on the other hand also formed a deeper and better relationship for the rest of the family.
Gregor’s transformation to a Vermin created a new life of separation and isolation for him. Before Gregor’s transformation he already felt isolated and stressed out because he was the only one working and he didn’t have that good of a relationship within his family. Kafka states “Constantly seeing new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate.” Gregor is a traveling salesman who sees new people all the time and can never maintain a long lasting relationship with anyone. He is stuck at home over the course of the story; he's still unable to make a connection with anyone this was just the start to his isolation. Franz Kafka once said” His room, a regular human room, only a little on the small side, lay quiet between the four familiar walls.”(pg.2)After the transformation, Gregor takes a look at his room. The expression a "regular human room," is for humans and not for vermin’s like him, and suggests that he's already feeling uncomfortable in his own room. Gregor started feeling more isolated due to his transformation to a bug. One of the things that bothered him was his appearance. Sheldon Goldfarb agrees alongside with this by stating “Even Gregor realizes this, and tries to hide his repulsiveness from his mother and sister when they enter his room. He spends hours arranging a sheet to cover himself so they will not have to see them.” Gregor is afraid of what he has become and believes the...

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...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.
Franz Kafka had explored two conflicting ideas with the use of his protagonist Gregor: unity and isolation. Gregor’s transformation formed a whole life in which he could not escape. But on the other hand his family members were able to improve from his isolation. Especially Grete who went through a metamorphosis of her own

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