How Does Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis Relate To My Life

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When I was about ten, I read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka for the first time. To a ten year old kid, it was a frightening, disturbing book in which a man transforms into an insect and dies. However, when I studied this book thoroughly again in my English class during junior year, I realized that it was beyond just a morbid tale. In fact, there were many frightening similarities between the novella and my life. I grew up with many very high expectations from people around me, including my parents, which forced me to work hard and excel at school. This was archetypal in Asian households for the eldest child of the family. Especially after moving to America from Korea about four years ago, I had been coercing myself to try to be a “perfect child”at the expense of my sleep, health, and even time devoted to my family. Hence, as I read The Metamorphosis and researched the life of Kafka, I could envision myself within Gregor. …show more content…

In order to fulfill my burden, I sacrificed almost everything, including time spent with my parents. When I read The Metamorphosis, I thought it was ironic that Gregor’s reason for working was to provide for his family yet he was alienated from his family as he had no emotional bond with them. Particularly, he was mentally isolated from the factors that drove his life. Then, I realized that this tragic irony was present in my life as well. My primary motivation to work was my family, yet I lacked the capacity to spend time with them. This realization led me to rethink what was truly important in my life. There was no doubt that hard work is essential. However, it made me reconsider if my efforts in school were worth sacrificing the bonds to my

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