Literary Analysis Of ' The Metamorphosis '

Betrayal is the one thing in which man and woman are all guilty of putting onto one another. “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka is a book related to a boy, named Gregor, who wakes up from his bed and realizes he is transformed into a nasty vermin. His family is befuddled of this transformation Gregor is going through. As a result, betrayal is a vital theme in “The Metamorphosis” and clearly focuses on the downfall of the main character Gregor Samsa. The Samsa family shows treachery, disloyalty and betrayal towards Gregor by showing minimal love, fear towards his abilities, and as well as unfair treatment of his cause.

This brief article is written from the psychiatric perspective, pointing out that Kafka has always been of great interest to the psychoanalytic community; this is because his writings have so skillfully depicted alienation, unresolved oedipal issues, and the schizoid personality disorder and The Metamorphosis is no exception to this rule. While this writer tends to think that psychiatrists should read The Metamorphosis, many probably have not, and this paper serves as an excellent introduction to the work, from the perspective that the psychiatrists would value.

     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.

“The Metamorphosis” is a surreal story by Franz Kafka surrounding the transformation and betrayal of Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one day, reborn into a large insect. Along with the bizarre and nightmarish appearance of his new hard back, brown segmented belly, and many legs, Gregor only desire is to live a normal life, unfortunately, this is impossible because he struggles to even get out of bed. Gregor transformation into an insect is a vivid metaphor for the alienation of humans from around the world. After losing human form, Gregor is automatically deprived of the right to be a part of society. Franz Kafka could relate to Gregor because he too was mistreated/neglected by his father and worked a job that he was unhappy doing. Franz and Gregor both were providers for their families. Alienation, isolation, and loneliness were not hard to recognize during the Modernity and Modernism time period.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a reflection on how alienation and isolation begin and develop in a society by employing the characters in his novella as a representation of society as a whole. Using Gregor’s manager to demonstrate the initiation of isolation and alienation of a person, Gregor as the person being isolated and the inhabitants of the Samsa household as the other members of society, Kafka creates an effective model to represent the hierarchically structured effect of isolationism and alienation in society on a larger scale.

The deeper meaning of “The Metamorphosis”, by Frank Kafka, can be interpreted in many ways depending on critical theory is used to examine it. From a feminist criticism, one can observe how Gregor’s dominance as a male diminishes after he becomes a bug as his sister’s strength and role in the family grows stronger. From a biographical criticism, one can compare and contrast the traits of Gregor and the people around him with that of Kafka’s own life and his relationships. However, the focus of this essay will be applying a psychoanalytical criticism to the characters in “The Metamorphosis”, using the studies of Sigmund Freud to approach

Frank Kafka is considered one of the most influential writers of all time. Helmut Richter would agree with this statement. Richter agreed that Kafka was a very prominent figure in world literature and was amazed by his mechanics and word usage. I feel that his essay is supportive of Kafka’s writing, but also leaves out many important details in its brevity. Richter did not include Kafka’s flaws and tendencies in his essay.

In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka conveys the series of emotional and psychological repercussions of a physical transformation that befalls the protagonist, a young salesman called Gregor Samsa. As the story progresses, Gregor finds himself unfairly stigmatized, cruelly rejected because of his clear inability to financially support his family, and consequently increasingly isolated. Through extensive use of symbolism, Kafka is able to relate the surreal and absurd, seemingly arbitrary events of this short story to a general critique of society-particularly on the alienating effects that conformity generates. On a broader level, the combined themes-which include the themes of conformity, freedom, and alienation--found throughout The

Without the constraints of external forces, is human nature inherently good or evil? In Franz Kafka’s novella, The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa’s transformation into a "monstrous vermin” serves as a window into the human psyche. Through lack of obligations, decreased sense of shame, and increased sexual drive, Kafka reveals Gregor’s relationship to the outside world weaken, as his internal instincts grow stronger. Kafka utilizes Gregor’s transformation as a symbol to show the dangerous potential of the human “id”, a term coined by Sigmund Freud, to break down social norms. This psychological venture reveals humanity’s true instincts as animalistic, when not contained through personal and societal pressures.

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,

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a novella that begins with an absurd concept. A man wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. While this concept for a story is certainly absurd, Kafka contrasts this plot with a rather dull, plain narrative. It may initially seem novel to explain a ridiculous situation in a simple manner, but this causes the novella to be quite boring.

In The Metamorphosis Gregor Samsa is forced to deal with his transformation from a human being into an insect. After his transformation Gregor is no longer able to do everyday ordinary things. He now has to depend on someone to do these things for him. His younger sister, Grete, makes herself responsible for Gregor. She takes it upon herself to make sure that Gregor is fed and his room is cleaned. This leads to the question; why does she place such a huge responsibility on herself? An optimist like Gregor who only sees the good side of people would say it is because she is a loving and caring person. That her brother’s current condition makes her feel sorry for him and

Metamorphosis is a remarkable novel that has spanned numerous themes; from alienation to the absurdity of life. And one of the major themes is that of the abject. The abject, by definition, describes something brought low in position or condition, lacking in courage, or simply rejected. In short, the abject is a recurring theme throughout Metamorphosis – both literally; in the form of Gregor’s grotesque physical form, and metaphorically; in the way Gregor reacts to and is treated by his family. Thus the significance of the abject on Gregor and his family will be the basis of analysis in this essay.

This story "The Metamorphosis" is about Gregor, a workaholic, who is changed into an insect and must then deal with his present reality. The hardest part of being an insect for him was the alienation from his family, which eventually leads to his death. In reading the short story "The Metamorphosis," (1971),one can realize how small the difference is between Magical Realism and Fantastic. This literature written by the Austrian, Franz Kafka, is often debated over.

In spite of familial love, Gregor’s mother prioritizes her own well-being before her son’s. Almost immediately after realizing his own metamorphosis, Gregor’s mother calls out to him “it’s a quarter to seven. Didn’t you want to catch the train?” (6). Gregor’s personal morning routine was very important to the family’s frangible budget. Gregor’s mother was not initially concerned with her son’s well-being, but his absence from work disconcerted her. When initially encountering her son’s physical state, Gregor’s mom “slowly [backed] away as if repulsed by an invisible, unrelenting force” (16). She appears utterly repulsed at the sight of her son as a massive vermin and reacts accordingly- paying no attention to his feelings. The relationship between the two immediately alters in this moment because instead of stretching out her usual motherly love, she remains in limbo, and doesn’t want to be near him. At one point in the gripping novella, Gregor’s father attempts to afflict harm on him, and in response, his mother ‘[had her hands clasped around] father’s neck [begging] for Gregor’s life”