Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Essay

Franz Kafka’s novella The Metamorphosis reflects the ideals about capitalism during the 20th century. In the novella, the protagonist, a traveling salesman by the name of Gregor Samsa, wakes up one day to discover that he’s been transformed into a giant insect. When Gregor wakes up to this transformation, he is the only one unfazed. However, Gregor isn’t the one who undergoes metamorphosis; his relationship with his family and his sister, Grete, falls victim to metamorphosis.
Gregor’s metamorphosis from a human to a bug symbolizes his transformation from an independent to dependent individual. At the start of the novel, Gregor has already undergone the capitalist metamorphosis from breadwinner to patient. In the latter half of the novel, while Gregor is in his room, the narrator says, “Sometimes he thought that, the next time the door opened, he would once again take charge of the family’s problems just as he used to…” (Kafka 41). Gregor regrets not being able to

After Gregor can no longer work, his relationship with his family also deteriorates. Gregor’s father tries to hurt Gregor by throwing apples and hitting him with a broom. This is ironic because Gregor’s “... stream of memories reveals that prior to his metamorphosis Gregor had indeed thought of giving up his distasteful job. However, for the sake of his family, who depended upon his income, he had to inhibit this wish and paid it no further attention.” Gregor is quickly discarded by his father as soon as he can no longer earn wages. The deterioration of their relationship following Gregor’s inability to work shows that the relationship was based solely on money. When cleaning Gregor’s room, Grete “… ran straight to the window and tore it open hastily, as if she were almost suffocating…”(Kafka 31). Gregor is suffocating his family not only financially but also limiting their