Essay on Metamorphosis

Gregor Samsa appears to be the character who transfigures in the short novel called “The Metamorphosis,” but Grete, Gregor’s sister, transforms into a stronger and more independent woman throughout the predicaments in the book. After Gregor dies, a new light shines upon Grete, and her parents see her as a grown woman. The author says, “It struck both Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, almost at the same moment, as they became aware of their daughter’s increasing vivacity, that in spite of all the sorrow of recent times, which had made her cheeks pale, she had bloomed into a pretty girl with a good future”(Kafka 96). The closing words of “The Metamorphosis” prove that the whole novel is showing how the metamorphosis that takes place is referring to Gretes transformation into a stronger woman. Throughout the novel, Grete matures into having a closer relationship with her parents, being more independent, and by not revolving her world around Gregor anymore.

In “Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as Death and Resurrection Fantasy,” Webster clarifies how Gregor is not the only one transformed by his situation, as well as the negative effects that have been brought on by it. The tone used by Webster in his essay brings about this negative feel towards the transformation itself, as well as a cynic view towards most of the novel, especially the title. “'Metamorphosis' is misleading as a title,” because it entails that only one person or being is being metamorphosised; instead, “it should be pluralized since the whole family…father, mother, and sister…are equally transformed.” By giving a reason as to why the title is erroneous, Webster expresses his disturbance towards the title and that Kafka should have realized this and given the proper form of the word. He declares that “Grete…finally refers to…Gregor as ‘It’ and insists that unless he is rejected…the whole family will disintegrate,” interpreting Grete’s altered view towards him as a sign that she has also grown up through this. The syntax displayed only adds to the negativity towards not just the title, but other parts of the book. Grete’s sudden outburst combines with the syntax of other pieces in the article to display Webster’s assertion on the negativity of the whole family’s transformation. This contrasts with the positive outlook towards it

The Metamorphosis is a novel written in 1912 by Franz Kafka. It takes place in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic. This novel involves a man named Gregor who lives with his sister and parents. Gregor is the only one that has a job; therefore he is the only one that has a steady income. He provides everything for his family, and they take him for granted. One morning Gregor wakes up from his slumber to realize he has turned into a gigantic bug. Once his family discovers he is a revolting vermin they seem to disown him except for his sister Grete. By the end of the novel Grete’s perspective toward Gregor changes and she decides it is time to get rid of him. At the end Gregor dies, but his family does not mourn his death; if anything they rejoice that he is gone. Throughout the novel Kafka slips in Biblical allusion here and there such as the apple that is lodged into Gregor’s back, also the comparisons made between Grete and Judas, and Gregor’s sacrifice and the betrayal of his family. All these allusions help develop a deeper meaning and construct Gregor into a Christ like being.

When the Samsa’s family first discovers Gregor’s repulsive transformation, Grete is the only person that tries to takes care of Gregor. Grete and Gregor hold a strong and close relationship from the start of the story that deteriorates as time passes. Grete looks up to her old brother because he is the only one that believes in her musical ability. Grete perceives Gregor physically as a critter, but emotionally, Gregor is still her brother and she shows pity toward him and becomes Gregor’s primary caretaker. Grete is Gregor’s only emotional connection to the family, and to all humanity itself. Internal conflicts begin to arise as Gregor begins to feel isolated from his family and confined by his room which he refers to as “imprisonment.”(25) Although Grete is the only one that shows sympathy toward Gregor, Grete perceives Gregor differently than how Gregor perceives himself. Gregor feels distanced from his family because of his physical appearance, something Gregor cannot change, which causes his family to try and think in the perspective of an insect rather than to take Gregor’s human emotions in account. Grete and her mother begin to “[clear] out his room; depriving him of everything that he [loves]”(33) not realizing Gregor’s emotional turmoil as everything from his human life was being taken away from him.

In “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor Samsa is a travelling salesman trying to find his place in the world, earn a living and support his family. His adult life, although uneventful, is inevitable, which he begins to accept over time, primarily when he awakens one morning with the grotesque body of an insect. Gregor contemplates life as it was before his transformation when he was the sole breadwinner for the family. Now that he is a bug, the other members of the family lose both the financial and emotional security associated with his career, beginning to disregard Gregor as a member of their family. In ‘The Metamorphosis’, Kafka uses the metaphor of the bug to describe the transformation and emotional separation experienced by Gregor Samsa to bring

Grete, acting out of goodwill and love brought Gregor, “ a wide assortment of things, all spread out on an old newspaper: old, half-rotten vegetables; bones left over from the evening meal, caked with congealed white sauce; some raisins and almonds; a piece of cheese, which two days before Gregor had declared inedible; a plain slice of bread, a slice of bread and butter, and one with butter and salt.” (pg. 31) It is seen in the novel that Grete is somewhat of Gregor’s “protector.” She is the only one who will stick up for him, face him daily without being grossed out, and the only one who he feels like understands him and his struggles he’s going through. This brother-sister relationship is fairly unique and Grete’s significance in Gregor’s life shows that she is changing from an adolescent child into a mature adult.

In Kafta’s, Metamorphosis, the leading actor Gregor Samsa who was once a hardworking salesman woke up one morning only to find that he had transformed into a giant insect. Due to the metamorphosis, he is confined to a room, unable to work and support his family. The transformation isolates Gregor from the family and the society; the depression makes him misunderstand the intentions of other people. The change emotionally and psychologically separates him from humanity in general, in what he refers to as his imprisonment; this makes him has stays locked up in his room with little contact towards other people. Kafta emphasizes on the alienation through Gregors’ sister, Grete, who were ones very close. The closeness is depicted by Gregor intentions to take her to the conservatory despite the great expense since she loves to play the violin (Kafka 35). Initially, she takes care of him by bringing him food scraps, cleaning up his room and keeping him company. However, with time Grete becomes tired and is the first person to suggest to the rest of the family that they should get rid of Gregor due to the financial burden they are facing. As a result, Gregor locks himself in the bedroom and dies upon which the family feels a great sense of relief.

In " The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, Gregor is not perceived as a human, but rather as a commodity all the time. Gregor is expected to follow the society's expectation, including the rejection of his opinions towards what he does or does not want to do. Gregor is ultimately seen as an object who can be replaced. Gregor’s parents recognize Grete’s capability after Gregor is minimized. Gregor has no other alternative but to transform into a bug in order to rebel against his family and the patriarchal society's assumptions. However, his rebellion does not work for a long time because as time goes by, he gets less and less attention from his family resulting in his death. Gregor decides to destroy himself because of the lack of attention from

“The Metamorphosis” is a story about a man named Gregor Samsa who one day wakes up to find himself transformed into a gigantic bug. He realizes he is late for work and when everyone starts knocking at his door to come out, the door opens to reveal him in his new bug form. The family soon started to set up a new routine. Gregor was adjusting to his new body and new likings and food. His sister, Grete, became his caretaker and fed him twice a day and cleaned his room. The furniture was removed from his room so he had more space to roam. When his father returns home and finds out he made her mother faint, the father chases Gregor around and throws apples at him and one actually hit and paralyzed him. It took a month for Gregor to completely heal from his wound. The family then hires a new cleaning woman and takes in three lodgers. The lodgers argued that they will move out the next day without paying rent unless Gregor was gotten rid of. Gregor dies early next morning from the stress. The family kicks out the lodgers and decides to take a day off and take the trolley into the country. Absurd is something that is wildly unreasonable, ridiculous, or preposterous. Absurdist literature is when the story focuses on characters or situations that have

In Gregor’s words “work like this is far more unsettling than business conducted at home... the agony of traveling...worrying about train connections, the irregular, unpalatable meals, and human intercourse that is constantly changing, never developing the least constancy or warmth” (Kafka, 400). It is evident that Gregor despises having to travel so much and longs for

In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka emphasizes the ideas of freedom and imprisonment, symbolized within the life of a young man, Gregor Samsa, who devotes himself completely to fulfill his family’s needs. Despite various interpretations of the novella, Kafka prominently portrays through the symbolism of Gregor’s apartment itself, a divide between his family’s world and his own after his transformation as an insect. In doing so, Kafka presents a dilemma that Gregor faces as the consequences of his transformation include losing his freedom and finding himself imprisoned by his own family. In this complex novella, Kafka uses the recurring imagery of disease, doors and Gregor’s room in the apartment to illustrate the loss of freedom and the gain

His father’s action of throwing an apple at him and throwing him back into the bedroom was a very external way of showing rejection. (pp. 955-956) Due to this rejection, Gregor’s feelings of inferiority are demonstrated through many of the thoughts that run through his head as he waits in the bedroom. For example, instead of feeling bad for himself, he thinks about his family first. He decides that he will behave in a quiet and patient manner for the family in order to “make the inconveniences he was putting them through in his present state a little bearable for them.” (p. 957) It is interesting that, although he is in a much more dreadful state than his family, he still worries about them before himself. It is probable that this has much to do with Gregor’s selfless character, but, to a certain extent, inferiority to his family is also demonstrated through these

Gregor’s condition is unbeknownst to the family. He instinctively knows that he must hide and tires to wait it out, wanting his transformation to go away like a nightmare. “’I’m opening the door immediately... A slight indisposition, a dizzy spell, has prevented me from getting up...I will be at the office in person right away;’”(Kafka 22). For this, the book parallels reality by the popularized events of harassing students. The exposition could begin by the introduction of uniqueness of the character. And through this uniqueness, it introduces a fatal flaw. Because one is different, it gives a for others reason to hurt one another. Pinning on a flaw helps people to bond as a

Meanwhile, the transformation Grete undergoes during the short story is vital to her future. Earlier, she was once able to live easily off her loving brother Gregor obviously, this changes as he transforms. Upon Gregor's, transformation Grete and her brother seemed to have an affectionate relationship toward one another. To begin with, Grete was the only

Franz Kafka’s book Metamorphosis displays how the element of communication plays a major role in society. In Gregor’s case, the inability to talk deteriorated the bonds between him and his family. In extension, the inept ability to communicate stripped away Gregor’s tangible, materialistic components of his life. With a language barrier in place, people are bound to misunderstand and ultimately lead to hostility between groups or individuals that shows the inevitable flaw in human inventions. Metamorphosis conveys this idea with reference to parallel to how society impacts reality through uncanny uses of symbolism. Yet, this book highlights the emotions of Gregor, it also showed how easily dismissed this notion is in society, through the ironies and litotes throughout the book.