Analysis Of The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

     I have chosen The Metamorphosis as my subject for this paper; I will take a close look at how the death of Gregor Samsa opens the doors to understanding the story. I will give examples of irony through Gregor’s metamorphosis and how this irony brings together the conclusion of the story. Through his death we see the truth behind his parents, which in it’s self is ironic. It is difficult to pinpoint one specific thing to write about in the story; there are just so many things that can be brought to light. If I happen to lose sight of my topic bear with me, there is just so much to be discussed in the novella.

Everyone has people they depend on. People that he or she knows will always be there when they’re needed. But what happens when those people just don’t show up or just all of a sudden stop caring? The feeling of loneliness can break down a person’s character and reduce him to a shell, or in this case and exoskeleton, of who he once was. We can see this in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. When Gregor Samsa finds himself transformed into a giant beetle-like creature, what he needs more than anything is the love and support of his family, but he disgusts them. They shut him up in his room so that no one can see him. They are ashamed of him, and quickly forget that he was part of their own flesh and blood. All that they can see is the monster that appears on the on the outside. Gregor’s sister and parents betray his love for them and leave him feeling lonely in the most terrifying and desperate time of his life.

Have you ever walked into school or a job and felt like you were not like everyone else? Many people struggle with the feeling of not fitting into a certain norm, which causes them to feel as though they are an outsider. In the story Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Gregor Samsa becomes an outsider when he wakes up to discover he is a monstrous bug. Not only does his family misjudge him but they starve, mistreat, and seclude him. Outsiders like Gregor Samsa have always been different and misjudged.

In the metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, there are significant actions and transformations which make the story sad, and strange with a happy ending. Explanations that are dramatic events that intensify the excitement of all these actions. Reality and reflection play an important role in this story because the events that happened could be applied and assimilated with modern society.

Ralph Freedman’s critical essay titled “Kafka’s Obscurity” on Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis delves into the idea that from changes in the protagonist’s physical limitations, familial bonds, and his being “[he] is finally reduced to a mere speck of self-awareness which is ultimately extinguished” (Freedman 131). General questions of “why” and “how” are almost immediately dismissed due to the calm and monotonous tone that Kafka implements throughout the novel. Instead, the reader is encouraged to ponder the consequences of separating one’s mind from their body, in particular, how long can their humanity stay intact when the rest of them is replaced. Freedman reveals the “paradoxical” (Freedman 131) nature of The Metamorphosis in which the demise of one’s life may also be blissful release, especially when the individual in question was arguably inhuman to begin with. The transformation itself is emphasising the character’s current dejection and is highlighted by the transformations mirrored in the family as well.

Many views of existentialism are exposed in Kafka's Metamorphosis. One of these main views is alienation or estrangement which is demonstrated by Gregor's relationship with his family, his social life, and the way he lives his life after the metamorphosis. Namely, it suggests that man is reduced to an insect by the modern world and his family; human nature is completely self absorbed. Kafka reflects a belief that the more generous and selfless one is, the worse one is treated. This view is in direct conflict with the way things should be; man, specifically Gregor should be treated in accordance to his actions. Gregor should be greatly beloved by his family regardless of his state. This idea is displayed in three separate themes. First,

In The Metamorphosis, Kafka establishes, through his religious imagery and gospel-esque episodic narration, the character of Gregor Samsa simultaneously as a kind of inverse Messianic figure and a god-like artist, relating the two and thus turning the conventional concept of the literary hero on its ear. The structure of the novel reflects that of the Gospel of Mark in that it is narrated in individual events, and in this it is something of a Künstlerroman - that is, the real metamorphosis is over the course of the novel, rather than just at the beginning, and that change is a heightened sensitivity to the world in an artistic sense. The motif of change is a rather theological one as well: we see it in a religious sense, in the form of

In Franz Kafka’s novel, The Metamorphosis Gregor explains his feeling on his family and how his family is affected. Gregor’s feelings in the story do not change at all due to loyalty to his family. In the beginning he feels affection and love towards his family and feels this throughout the novel.

For the first time in the novel, the family feels a sense of unity – especially since Gregor is gone. Before Gregor’s transformation, he was the one dragging the family along, yet, after he becomes a bug, his family decides that caring for Gregor for three months “isn’t possible” (49). The sense of relief of his death demonstrates that his family, even Greta, did not care for him enough to prevent his death. Even though the story focuses on the metamorphosis of Gregor, Mr. Samsa and Greta both engage in their own metamorphosis. Mr. Samsa was forced to find a job, which allowed him to revive his sense of authority in the family and give him the confidence to tell the roomers to “leave the house immediately” (53) – a sense of courage that he

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is an early twentieth century masterpiece in which the author tries to convey a certain theme to readers. To really understand this theme, readers have to be informed on who Kafka is and why he wants to convey a theme. They should be informed on him because they can better understand the protagonist, Gregor, and get a glimpse of why he feels a certain way about something. In this scenario, the theme is trying to display mankind’s descent into something sub-human. Mankind’s descent into something sub-human can be represented through Kafka’s depiction of Gregor’s tragic literal and metaphorical transformations.

Kafka was critical in bringing the new outlook on modern culture and particularly on modern man. Franz Kafka studied the modern man in the face of contemporary culture, and how he was steadfast in retaining his spirituality and identity, and gravitate towards authenticity and happiness. However, Kafka saw how the dehumanizing forces of industrialization and capitalism in the post- the WWI Europe posed a challenge to the modern man. Modern culture can be viewed tolerating and open to all. To Franz Kafka, modern culture coupled with technology is fast changing, and man has to maintain his self-consciousness in order not lose his spirituality and identity amidst these changes (Wintle pp. 708-710). Hence, as modern culture changes with the changing technology, religions are poised to change too, which presents fears to a man about losing his spirituality and identity upon embracing the modern culture. Interestingly, Kafka was mystical in his writings, with a keen interest in themes such as metamorphosis, existential and identity. If we look at “The Metamorphosis,” we can view the idea of how the dehumanizing effects of capitalism and industrialism are indicated within the writings. Kafka contends we become dehumanized with buying power and working too much. The transformation of Gregor seems to indicate a denial of responsibility to the changing forms of society’s conventions and values.

Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a masterfully written novella about Gregor Samsa, a man who devotes his life to his family and work, for nothing in return. Only when he is transformed into a helpless beetle does he begin to develop a self-identity and understand the relationships around him. The underlying theme of The Metamorphosis is an existential one that says that any given choice will govern the later course of a person’s life and that a person has ultimate will over making choices. In this case, Gregor’s choices of his part in society cause him to have a lack of identity that has made him to be numb to everything around him.

1. Gregor’s initial reaction to his transformation, more specifically his worrying about missing the train and dwelling on the hardships of his job, reveals the extent to which Gregor’s own self-identity and way of life is dependent on his work. While most people would probably be horrified to find themselves transformed into a bug, Gregor instantly thinks of his job because that is what comprises Gregor’s identify and without his job he has no purpose or worth in his society. As Gregor contemplates his future, he thinks to himself, “Well, there’s still some hope; once I’ve got the money together to pay off my parents’ debt to him [his boss] – another five or six years I suppose – that’s definitely what I’ll do. That’s when I’ll make the big change” (Kafka 8).

Throughout literary history, certain authors are so unique and fresh in their approach to the written word that they come to embody a genre. Franz Kafka is one such author; “Die Verwandlung” or “The Metamorphosis” is one of his works that helped coin the term “Kafkaesque.” Through this novella, Kafka addresses the timeless theme of people exploit-ing others as a means to an end. He demonstrates this point through showing that a family’s unhealthy dependence on the main character results in that character’s dependence on the family.

Do you after wonder what would it be like to be an insect? Getting transformed and having to run for your own life, while getting apples thrown at you? Reading The Metamorphosis by Fanz Kafka made me see what can really happen in a dysfunctional family after reading the short story. I will be writing a visual analysis paper, analyzing The Metamorphosis on the visual context plus the images that is going on in the shorty story.