Metamorphosis into Humanity

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Recommended: The use of symbolism in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka’s uses of symbolism throughout Metamorphosis help the audience grip the appreciation of Gregor’s drive towards humanity and independence. The transformation in this book is used as a symbol for Gregor’s metamorphosis to humanity. Even though none of us should ever wake up and experience the emotion of changing into a giant bug, the hardship Gregor felt is a sample that is relevant to us in different ways. Throughout the story, we see numerous symbols that show the ultimate symbol of humanity and independence.
The story begins with Gregor Samsa waking up as a bug. As the story proceeds on, Gregor accepts himself being a bug and never questions why or how this transformation could happen. His only concern is getting to work. Gregor not being worried about his new condition makes the audience question whether or not he had even physically changed at all. The household in which Gregor was living had complications. Before Gregor’s transformation, he had been living a rather gloomy life, comparable to a bug. He consumed himself in his work to provide and support his family. He did not have any other friends, and besides his sister, he had slight communication with his parents. This symbolizes his state of being. Gregor did not wake up and turn into a bug. He had finally realized that he had been a bug for a good bit of time.
Gregor’s life was similar to a bug’s life in several ways. Gregor was the worker of the family. He was the only source of income. Many bugs, such as bees, have workers that deliver for the group. Gregor was providing and delivering for everyone in his family in the same way that a bee would provide for its hive. Gregor gave up all the exciting parts of life and solely desired to work. Just like a ...

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...ily gets jobs and they began to communicate better after he is gone. Gregor seemed to have been holding them back.
Through his metamorphosis into a bug, Gregor was transforming into more of a human. The bug that Gregor transforms into is not a symbol of inhumanity. One would think the opposite, but he was gaining humanity as he became more of a bug. Bugs, insects, and harmless living things striving for nothing are the humanity. The real Gregor was dead as soon as he let his job consume him and sequester him from his family and the way they viewed him. Gregor wakes up to figure out who he really is, yet he can’t even identify himself. The true metamorphosis had been taking place for many years. Overall, Gregor’s transformation into a bug exemplifies the unpleasant life he was living, and his metamorphosis symbolizes a slow transformation towards his own humanity.

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