The Truth of Perception in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Everyone is entitle to their own opinion on how they view the world and themselves. As the saying goes “ the world is our oyster” and we can choose to live the life we want regardless of how people may see us. People can choose to see someone by their physical appearance or by the concealed emotional underlay, but it can be different to the way we perceive ourselves. The world does not see eye to eye to what we see. In The Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka, the protagonist Gregor Samsa, over the course of one night, suddenly transformed into a “monstrous vermin.” Gregor is now physically separated by his family who can only perceive him as his bug-like structure, which results in the disintegration of his emotional turmoil and ultimately death.

The exposition of The Metamorphosis beings with a small little room that is symmetrical in every manner. Gregor awakes to find himself transformed into a “monstrous vermin”(3) and without any halt of hesitation or question, he proceeds on with his daily routine and tries to adapt to his new form of life. Gregor does not want to “stay in bed being useless,”(7) however his current structure restrains him from doing anything human-like. It is in Gregor’s nature to take up the role of responsibility in the household no matter what circumstances he may face. Gregor’s perseverance in his everyday life is an attribute that Gregor can perceive in himself, yet is anonymous to everyone else. Although Gregor loathes his “grueling job”(3), he is bound down by his father’s failures which forces Gregor to work while creating “no relationships that last”(4) which makes Gregor feel like “a tool”(5) by both his father and his boss. Not only does Gregor feel alone and isolated because of his job, but his ...

... middle of paper ...

...his transformation. Gregor’s finals sacrifice causes a burden to be lifted from the family creating a new bond within the family and harmony has been restored. Gregor, although rejected by his family, perceives his family with wholeheartedness and love, while his family ultimately perceives Gregor as an object holding the family down.

The Samsa family all perceived Gregor differently both physically and emotionally at the start of the novel, but as Gregor’s physical form started to overwhelm his emotional aspect, they begin to perceive Gregor as a burden, restraining his family. Unlike the Samsa family, Gregor’s perception of himself is always steadfast as a human trapped in the carcass of a “monstrous vermin.” Gregor’s inability to communicate to humans caused his emotional turmoil to come to a downfall which he accepts his fate of death, like his transformation.