Transformation In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

Grete was always regarded as too young and immature to be of help before Gregor’s transformation, probably because Gregor had been the main supporter of the family. Due to Gregor’s metamorphosis, however, Grete was given responsibility of things that the rest of the family didn’t want to do, such as giving Gregor food, and also had to work at a job in order to further support the family. Therefore, after Gregor’s death, the parents finally realise the maturity and responsibility that Grete possesses, and thinks about how “their daughter was blossoming into a well built and beautiful young lady… they agreed that it would soon be time to find a good man for her” (page 44). With a fresh new start and a daughter who has lots of potential, it is not unclear that the parents are gaining confidence in their new post-Gregor’s death life. Being recognised by her parents, Grete has also found confidence and as the book has, “was the first to get up and stretch out her young body” when leaving the tram they were on. With all these positive changes being noticed, I think it is beyond argument that there is hope that is lingering around, not only in the novella, but also around the

After Gregor’s metamorphosis in the second chapter of the story, Grete is the only one who tries to show any affection or care for Gregor during his time of nice and she really shows that she is truly trying her best to understand and sympathize with what Gregor is going through. Gregor’s father is, however, still very violent towards Gregor because of his change, and Gregor’s mother is still frightened by his appearance. His mother won’t even stand to see him. Grete is the only one who tries and looks past Gregor’s change, even though she is still obviously afraid of his new appearance. She is also the only one to take responsibility for Gregor now that he can not care for himself. She feeds him and tries to give him foods that he has a newfound interest in (Kafka 107-108). Gregor appreciates this act of kindness his sister preforms and he is then able to show which foods he now likes to his sister. During the second chapter, Grete is not only the unofficial caretaker of Gregor but she is also Gregor’s spokesperson for his family. Gregor’s mother and father wanted a

As the caring sister that Grete is, she wants to make sure that Gregor is healthy because she knows that no one else will. To accomplish this, she feeds him every day. At first, Grete gives him milk and bread because she knows that they are his favorite. When she notices that he did not touch it, Grete makes another attempt. However, this time she brings a variety of

He is the only one who work so hard and never miss a work day in order to pay for the debt that his family owe. His father treats him in an unpleasant manner “It no longer sounded like just one father behind him and now it was really no longer a joke, and Gregor - come what may - thrust himself into the doorway” (Franz 20), after Gregor has become a giant bug. Although it seems like both the mother and Grete show caring toward Gregor’s misbehavior before he opens the door “You must go for the doctor immediately. Gregor is sick. Run for the doctor” (Franz 15), it can be argued that their caring come from the fear of losing the one and only financial support in the family. In other word, Gregor’s misbehavior will directly influence their

As the intensity of Gregor’s change grows, Grete loses her positive characteristics and the desire for her favorite hobbies. By the end of the novella, Grete turns completely bitter and loses all empathy for Gregor’s issues. This goes so far that when Gregor dies as a bug, Grete, along with her family, is content to have the maid simply take his body out with the

He was the son, the sole breadwinner of the family. Before Gregor’s transformation Grete really had no place in the family. Now since Gregor was unable to help the family Grete became important, needed and most of all appreciated. “He often heard them expressing their appreciation of his sister’s activities, whereas formerly they had frequently scolded her for being a somewhat useless daughter”(99). Now Grete’s parents need her for something. Grete by making herself responsible for Gregor gains a certain power over her parents. This however in not presented to the reader clearly because Gregor is unable to grasp the fact that his sister might have ulterior motives.

Furthermore, Gregor’s descent into social and physical abjection then forces his family to change radically in order to support themselves. In the beginning, Gregor starts off as the provider for his family. He hates his job, but he still goes above and beyond the call of duty to give his family a more comfortable life, even indulging the expensive endeavour of his sisters’ dream of studying the violin. However, after the metamorphosis, he is thrust into the role of a dependant – forcing his family to take responsibility and support themselves. His sister steps up to the plate in the beginning, giving him a selection of foodstuffs to find what he likes and even cleaning up after him. His parents are still in denial at this point, so much so that they refuse to see him at all. But as time goes by, his family begins to accept the situation and even try to help Grete out. His father produces some money from his previous failed business venture and his mother and sister try to make life more comfortable for Gregor. Grete in particular changes the most noticeably; Gregor himself notes at the beginning that her life up till that point had been “enviable”, consisting of “wearing nice

In the first place, Grete depends on her brother heavily in the beginning, as the story goes on the roles reverse and Gregor depends on Grete to care for him. “If Gregor had been able to speak to his sister and thank her for everything she had done for him, he would have tolerated her service more easily, (Kafka, 39). This quote shows Gregor is unaccustomed to this role change, he is not use to Grete taking care of him. This is an example of Grete's transformation because before Gregor transformed she wouldn't have cared for him in this manner.

To test his preferences, “She brought him a whole selection of things” (Kafka). Her caring continues as the novella continues until times get hard, money becomes short and Grete takes on responsibilities for the family. As she takes on Gregor’s responsibilities her role in the family becomes more important. Grete becomes less caring towards Gregor and more independent, “Gregor’s sister no longer thought about how she could please him but would hurriedly push some food or other stuff in with her foot” (Kafka). She no longer has compassion for Gregor

You must just try to get rid of the idea that this is Gregor. The fact that we’ve believed it for so long is the root of all our trouble.” Grete is determined that Gregor is the one who caused all of the troubles in the family and the family regrets keeping him around for a while ever since his transformation. After the expulsion of being revealed by the guests, the symbolism allowed the author to have a different direction of the story. Another quote the author said, “The sister played so beautifully.

     In the third and final chapter, the family found the new drudgery of their lives. Their “overworked and tired-out family” (p. 880) increasingly neglected Gregor. He longed for responsibility and was “often haunted by the idea that next time the door opened he would take the

They were pressuring Gregor to get up out of bed which made his mom distressed leading her to believe that her son was not ill. Grete and the mom were trying to call a doctor and a locksmith so that they could make sure that Gregor was doing okay. Furthermore,

Gregor scurried away back into his room using every last bit of energy he had left. He sunk. Grete had lost all of his love for him. He wanted to tell her about the music conservatory he was planning to send her to before he was turned into the bug she hated. In his dreams, she had been happy: embracing him with tears of joys and praising his name. “I am so stupid to think that anyone in this family could ever love me again,” Gregor thought to himself. As soon as Gregor was back in his room, he heard the door slam and deadbolt lock.

While the weeks and months passed Grete and his mother and father struggled to give little any compassion or concern for Gregor as their finances plummeted to the ground. Prior to his metamorphosis Gregor was physically alienated from any semblance of a social life due to his job and financial obligation to his family afterward the transformation and he was deemed a burden to his family that he had provided for countless months he was psychologically isolated from them as well. Notably while Gregor had finally been emancipated from his dreaded job as a salesman, he had become a parasitic to his family without being labeled as a provider they slowly began to turn against him only worsening his mental state and exile.

Grete, like her mother, obviously cares very much for Gregor and is also terrified by his new transformation, but unlike her mother, she tries very hard to hide her fear in order to keep feeding and tending to Gregor’s room;