Gregor Samsa

973 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The concept metamorphosis

Disabilities Exile One from Society In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa is exiled from his family as soon as he becomes disabled and cannot provide income and is therefore useless to his family. When Gregor is turned into a bug, his disability becomes the sole thing people see. Gregor is deemed a burden on his family and all of society, basically worthless. Gregor is only seen as a handicapped individual, only his physical is judged, his mental capacity is never tested. “His parents didn't want Gregor to start any more than a sister did, but perhaps for them to be directly involved in his feeding was more than they could bear, or perhaps a sister wanted to shield them even from what might prove to be no more than a minor …show more content…

“It will be the death of you both. I can see it coming. People who have to work as hard as we do can't stand this constant torture at home. I can't stand it anymore either.”(Kafka 343) Gregor is viewed as a strain by his family, especially his sister. Handicapped people are often seen as a nuisance and “good for nothing”. They believe it would be best for them if they got rid of Gregor. When Gregor dies, his father is joyous. “Well”, said Mr. Samsa, “now thanks be to God.”(Kafka 345) Mr. Samsa says relieved his son is now dead and that he doesn't have to worry about him anymore even though it was like he was already dead because his father paid no attention to Gregor as bug besides when he was abusing and injuring him. No father should be happy his son is dead. “Ableism has been historically present in schools as well as in society at large and is tied in part to the medical model that seeks to “fix” people with disabilities.” (Storey 9) Gregor was never accepted for who he now was, he was only ever compared to the able bodied Gregor. He was ruled “unfixable” and then treated like garbage, like he was not even a human anymore despite his mental capacity. Even though his outside changed into a bug, mentally Gregor was still human with emotions and feelings. Gregor, for as long as he was a bug, he was a damper on the overall vibe of the Samsa household because his family did not accept him for who he was. As soon as Gregor became disabled he was ruled out of his family. In Metamorphosis, Gregor was deemed unworthy of society and his family solely because he was unable to work and unable to communicate with his family. The mentally and physically handicapped are people too and should be treated witht the same respect as everyone

Show More
Related

  • The Transformation Of Humanity In Gregor Kafka's The Metamorphosis

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Theme Of Betrayal In The Metamorphosis

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gregor as a human loved and would do anything to help his family, even if the same affection was not reciprocated to him. As a bug, he attempted to stay true to his human values, even if he was no longer human. This can be seen in the very beginning of the story, when Gregor was anxious to get to work to support his family, even though he was a bug. But, as the story progresses, Gregor becomes less human and more buglike, as seen in this quote: “‘I hereby declare,’ the middle lodger said, raising his hand and casting his glance both on the mother and the sister, ‘that considering the disgraceful conditions prevailing in this apartment and family,’ with this he spat decisively on the floor, ‘I immediately cancel my room. I will, of course, pay nothing at all for the days which I have lived here; …’ In fact, his two friends immediately joined in with their opinions, ‘We also give immediate notice.’ At that he seized the door handle, banged the door shut, and locked it” (Kafka 66). In this scene, the three lodgers staying in the Samsa home spot Gregor for the first time, because Gregor was supposed to stay locked in his room always, and wasn’t allowed out. In coming out of his room, Gregor has betrayed his parents, and therefore also betrayed himself. Gregor as a human would never dare to disobey his parents, because he cared too deeply for them. But, as a bug, Gregor openly disobeyed them, and betrayed his own human values in doing

    Read More

  • Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis and James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues

    1813 Words  | 4 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Betrayal In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Greatest Gift Of Mental Change In The Metamorphosis By Kafka

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Truth And Grotesque Analysis

    1198 Words  | 3 Pages

    The dehumanization of Gregor Samsa although unrealistic is a lesson to be learned. It is absolutely devastating to lose the ability to be independent . Gregor 's family was ignorant to his feelings, his sister did not even realize that Gregor was trying to hold on to a piece of his human feelings. Gregor Samsa was a tragic case and example of a man that lost everything. He lost his job, family, and most important he lost his

    Read More

  • The Transformation from Life to Death: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the perspective of the stories other characters, the condition of Gregor’s mind is far less significant than his outward appearance. Despite the fact that Gregor has provided for his family, once he transforms, it becomes clear that he was only valued for his earnings. Gregor’s family stiffened at the thought of having to return the favor and chose not to see beyond his exterior. To elaborate, Gregor’s sister, Grete degrades Gregor, implying he is less than human, when she stresses how “human beings can’t live with such a creature” (Kafka 134) and later refers to this creature as an “it” (Kafka 134). Likewise, the lodgers who reside with “such a neighbor as Gregor next door” (Kafka 131) often associated him with filth, overlooking the condition of Gregor’s state of mind. In contrary to the other characters attitude towards Gregor, Kafka proposes that the state of mind does not intertwine with the body and shows this through Gregor’s own experience.

    Read More

  • Essay on Metamorphosis of the Family in Kafka's Metamorphosis

    1860 Words  | 4 Pages

    There was no room in Gregor's life for people other that his family and as a result was condemned to a life without love or caring not to mention basic companionship. He worked diligently to provide for his family and that remained his only goal in life. Gregor's family relied on him to be the "breadwinner" of the family, but gave him nothing in return. The life that he had led until now was one fully of obligations and loneliness; he came home to empty hotel rooms or his apathetic fam...

    Read More

  • Self-Discovery in Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and Equus by Peter Shaffer

    1356 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kafka characterizes Gregor as a silent individual who maintains little contact with society which implies isolation towards his family due to the lack of expressing his emotions. One major issue Gregor undergoes throughout his work life includes his distrust to others. Since his existence revolves around his job and constant travels, he becomes precaution of “locking all the doors during the night even at home,” therefore blocking humanity along with his family (Kafka 6). By securing his room in his own parent’s home proves his total seclusion and insecure th...

    Read More

  • Gregor Samsa's Transformation In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    He then became useless and a disappointment because his family expectations weren 't met. Gregor’s family eventually showed their true colors and changed their whole perspective about him. They became isolated among Gregor although they felt obligated to provide for him. “...His father merely stamped his feet more forcefully …his father gave him a hard shove, which was truly his salvation, and bleeding profusely, he flew far into his room” (Kafka, 31). Mr. Samsa 's behavior toward Gregor is brutal. Instead of trying to understand Gregor, he 's more intent on punishing him. Gregor is unpleasant to the public eye, in that case, he is seen differently and is kept locked up in his room. Gregor 's father has failed to support his family himself, so he behaves aggressively toward his son, due to his feelings of inadequacy. “He felt very proud that he had been able to provide such a life in so nice an apartment for his parents and his sister. But what now if all the peace, the comfort, the contentment were to come to a horrible end? “( Kafka, 23). Gregor contemplates life as it was before his transformation when he was the responsible one in his family. Now that he has turned into a bug he feels as if his family does not want to deal with him because of his current condition. Overall, his family accepted that Gregor was not turning back into a human and demonstrated by their actions that he was not

    Read More

  • The Relationship Between Mother And Father In Kafka's Metamorphosis

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gregor’s father began stamping his feet and waving the cane and newspaper in order to drive Gregor back into his room. “Nothing Gregor said made any difference; indeed, nothing he said was even understood” (Kafka 327). In this story the author displays many of the negative areas of his life, both mentally and physically. The author did not have much of a relationship with both his mother and father. Franz's mother, Julie, was a dedicated housewife who constantly sided with Kafka's father and could not understand her son's dreams of becoming writer. In The Metamorphosis our first impression of Gregor’s father is that of a strong spoken man with a short temper. Gregor’s father cannot understand nor does he seem to care about his sons’ new condition. In the story Gregor is pressured into working at a job that he cannot stand in order to support the family and pay off his fathers’ debt. The interaction between the main character Gregor and his father are comparable to the author and his father. Being that Kafka was the only son in the family he was constantly being pressured to take over the family business, his father did not approve of his writings and wanted Franz to become a business man like himself. In The Metamorphosis when Gregor first leaves the room his father’s first reaction is to force Gregor back into the room. This could be a metaphor for how Kafka’s father was constantly forcing him to do what he wanted instead of allowing Kafka to write. Whenever Franz Kafka attempted to explain to his father that he longed to be a writer not a shop owner, his father got very upset. Franz was exposed to abuse and frequent yelling by his father because of his disapproval of Kafka’s love of writing. In The Metamorphosis Mr.Samsa d...

    Read More

  • Comparing Kafka's Metamorphosis and The Stranger (The Outsider)

    481 Words  | 1 Pages

    Kafka creates a very lonely and abandoned world for Gregor Samsa in his short novel Metamorphosis.  Gregor is an existentialist character who mutates into a giant bug without reason and no longer has any control over his life.  He becomes completely uninvolved in the way that he does not talk or have any interaction with anyone inside or outside of the family.  He is dehumanized.  Gregor’s mother is disgusted by the looks of him and refuses to see or talk to him.  Gregor is now lonely and abandoned by his family, does not eat and eventually dies.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Alienation Of Gregor Samsa

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    Prior to his metamorphosis Gregor was physically alienated from any semblance of a social life due to his job and financial obligation to his family afterward the transformation and he was deemed a burden to his family that he had provided for countless months he was psychologically isolated from them as well. Notably while he had finally been emancipated from his dreaded job as a salesman, instead of being filled with happiness he realized he has become a parasitic to his family and without being labeled as a provider they slowly began to turn against him only worsening his mental state and exile. The family dynamic of the Samsa’s only revolves around who can bring home the largest paycheck while allowing the rest of the family to reap the benefits. Prior to the metamorphosis Gregor’s family was parasitic and cared little for his quality of life as long as he was supporting the family. Once Gregor was incapacitated Mr. and Mrs. Samsa turned their attention towards Grete to take their son’s

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Gregor Samsa In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    His burden of existence has led his family to the wish of the removal of Gregor’s life entirely. “‘We’ve only harmed ourselves by believing it for so long. How can it that be Gregor? If it were Gregor he would have seen long ago that it’s not possible for human beings to live with an animal like that and he would have gone of his own free will’” (Kafka 40). Soon after, Gregor is found dead in his room and the family celebrates, fires the cleaning lady, and leaves to rejoice in their relief of misery. The reader is left baffled at the absurdity that has just unraveled before them. Susanne Klingenstein wonderfully captures the reality of this story in her critical essay of The Metamorphosis: “What remains real about Kafka’s story, however, is the moment of pain when Gregor understands that he is no longer himself, a person, but a thing. At that point, … the story stops being a joke, metaphysical, psychoanalytical, or

    Read More

  • Speech In The Metamorphosis

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

More about Gregor Samsa

Open Document