preview

Gregor Samsa In The Metamorphosis

Better Essays

A bug is treated as an insignificant creature that is constantly shooed away. Gregor Samsa, in the “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka, is a traveling salesman who changes into a bug and is unappreciated by his family. His life takes place mostly in his room and with him as a bug, each member of the family has taken on a job in order to live, when before, Gregor was able to provide for his whole family. He is selfless and if he ever wanted to do anything for himself, seeing his family happy is enough to fill his void. However, Gregor’s changing character, limited omniscient point of view, and the text’s monotonous setting, magnifies the importance of contribution to society by leading from Gregor’s economic contribution to lack of social contribution …show more content…

He misses only a few hours of work and yet, the Deputy Director has to arrive at his door to demand his business. Gregor questions his company’s appreciation, “Why was Gregor condemned to work at a company where the least infraction immediately attracted the greatest suspicion” (131)? He has worked for this company for so many years, and yet, the Director threatens him that Gregor’s position “is not the most secure” (133). Gregor is replaceable and insignificant but he still remains to provide for his family. He has let this job take the best of him, thus, his conceding reply to the Deputy Director that he will get up for work. The author never describes the sound of Gregor’s reply, except that it is a “voice of an animal” (134), because the incomprehensible, meek reply is the animal talking that wants to save his job and whose company has its leash on. The animalistic characteristic reveals that the company has erased his identity when Gregor could be working another job that better represents who he is, rather than working at an area that he doesn’t like and doesn’t treat him like a human being. He still leads himself into the same direction for the last five years, however, just so his family could live a comfortable

Get Access