Parental Roles In Frankenstein And Kafka's Metamorphosis?

Because of the strong examples each mother and father must set forth for their children, the parental figures in these roles must provide specific nurturing traits in order to ensure they grow into well-rounded adults. Without these traits, many children and adults much like those in Shelley’s Frankenstein and Kafka’s Metamorphosis find it hard to cope in everyday life. The lack of parental guidance for Frankenstein’s monster and Gregor in The Metamorphosis is the reason why both are unable to function in society. The way they are treated throughout their lives by their “parents” as well as the neglect and abandonment they suffer throughout their respective stories explain why a parent’s role is much needed and irreplaceable. Although the works are separated by some one hundred years, the importance of parenting is timeless.

In both instances, the children are used for personal gain. Gregor Samsa, in Franz Kafka’s book, The Metamorphosis, is primarily a means of income and a provider for his family and not valued for much else. Victor Frankenstein, as written by Mary Shelley, creates his monster out for his own selfish ambitions and goals to succeed in creating immortality for humans. The mistreatment of each character ultimately comes from their parents refusal to treat them like their own offspring and more like an object to help with their own personal success.

Kafka’s main character, Gregor, is used for monetary purposes all throughout his life. He is often regarded not a part of the family but rather as a means of income so that neither of his parents had to work, his father because he did not want to and his mother because of asthma. In fact, Gregor’s father set up the job for him so that neither of the parents would have t...

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...hut the child out of their lives. Rather than dealing with the mistake or misfortune as a parent should do and stand by their child’s side, both parents ran away and tried to hide from the problem. The feelings of each character were completely forgotten and lost. Each were treated as some sort of object that could be thrown away and replaced. And ultimately, the outcomes in their lives reflected their poor parenting. The choices they made unfortunately came from the lack of skills they were taught when they were young and impressionable. Neither character knows what it is like to be a part of a loving family because they were both used as objects for money or fame. Sadly, the lack of parenting led to the demise of each and we are reminded, from over a hundred years ago as well as today, that successful parenting today will lead to successful adults for the future.