ipl-logo

Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Essay

506 Words3 Pages

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 …show more content…

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

Show More
Related

Gregor's Transformation Rhetorical Analysis

233 Words | 1 Pages

Gregor’s initial reaction to his transformation shows his preoccupation with work. His confusion over his radical transformation does not last long, quickly becoming concerned with work and disregarding that he woke up physically transformed into a monstrous vermin. Immediately after realizing he had transformed, Gregor explains, “Well, I haven’t given up hope completely; once I’ve gotten the money together to pay off my parents’ debt to [the boss] that will probably take another five to six years… But for the time being I’d better get up, since my train leaves at five” (4). The quick transition of Gregor’s thoughts from the initial shock to his economic duties reveals his ironic nonchalant attitude towards his nonsensical transformation and

Read More

Gregor Duty To His Father

507 Words | 3 Pages

He is willing to take on anyone in order to support his family, which plays into the theme of family duty. Also, Gregor’s determination and military experience (pg 12) is displayed in his plan making and strategizing to capture his manager. The loyalty to his family, displayed by working and trying his best to keep a job he doesn’t want, gives insight into Gregor’s character. The unhealthy relationship Gregor has with his family is very common for a character in Franz Kafka’s book. His own tumultuous relation reflected onto his characters lives.

Read More

How Does Grete Characterize Gregor's Life

1185 Words | 5 Pages

For a moment he had forgotten all about the general manager.” This is not the only case in which Gregor chooses his family over work. He also makes a reference to this when he states, “For the time being, all such worries were assuredly unnecessary. Gregor was still here, and abandoning his family was the farthest thing from his thoughts.” He is willing to sacrifice anything in order to make his family happy, including himself.

Read More

Gregor Samsa Research Paper

278 Words | 2 Pages

As the only one working in the family, Gregor has managed to give the family all he wanted. To show this Kafka writes, “even though Gregor subsequently earned so much money that he was enabled to shoulder the expenses of the entire family, and did so”(18-19). This shows how hard Gregor is working to provide for the whole family. Also Gregor’s family took advantage of the money he was providing for them, and they got used to it like it was always going to keep on coming. To prove this Kafka states,

Read More

How Did Gregor Samsa Change Throughout The Metamorphosis

484 Words | 2 Pages

The narrator said, “During the first fortnight, Gregor’s parents could not bring themselves to enter his room…” He has been disconnected from his family to the point where they’re emotionally unstable and unable to treat him as he deserves with affection and comfort to help him cope with his metamorphosis. The narrator shows this disconnection before the mutation,”Gregor later earned so much money that he was in a position to cover the expenses for the entire family…” He later described the exchange not “particularly warm”. Gregor feels alienated by his parents because of the lack of affection for him providing for them.

Read More

Sacrifice In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

864 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel you can clearly see how the family would take advantage and abuse Gregor. He would work hard for the family and his family had no appreciation for what he did. It was clear in the book that Gregor did not like his job. He always felt tired, but he would always go to his job for the sake of his family.

Read More

Rivers And Tides: Movie Analysis

804 Words | 4 Pages

This is the reason he isolated himself from his family. Gregor is forced to work in an environment he hates but his transformation overlooks that. He doesn’t have to suffer from his occupation and allows him to spend more time with his family. However, this change only had a positive affect temporarily.

Read More

Comparing Kafka's Metamorphosis And A Very Old Man

1784 Words | 8 Pages

His family does not take that into consideration because they basically viewed him as nothing more than a cash cow. In the end they all come to the agreement that maintaining his uselessness is slowly draining them and they must get rid of him. Even Gregor realizes this:“He still saw that outside the window everything was beginning to grow light. Then, without his consent, his head sank down to the floor, and from his nostrils streamed his last weak breath” (Kafka 51). The quote is a description of Gregor's death scene.

Read More

Oedipus Change In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

656 Words | 3 Pages

When the narrator introduces Gregor, he grows very concerned about the origin of his metamorphosis: “One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin” (Kafka). Initially, Gregor maintained a strong relationship with his sister, Grete, who kept a constant supply of food in his room. However, as Gregor’s mentality began to develop more animalistic instincts, such as a preference of the rotten food, Grete withdraws herself from Gregor’s presence, despising her meetings with the vermin. When Gregor finally began to accept his form as a bug, he realizes the despicable treatment from his family, “Sometimes he thought that the next time the door opened he would take charge of the family's affairs again, just as he had done in the old days. At other times he was in no mood to worry about his family, he was completely filled with rage at his miserable treatment, and although he could not imagine anything that would pique his appetite, he still made plans for getting into the pantry to take what was coming to him” (Kafka).

Read More

Metamorphosis Chapter 1 Summary

428 Words | 2 Pages

Even though now he is the provider for his family because of his family debt. Gregor has probably never been a part of any family meetings. Most of the time he’s always at work. He also never wakes up to have breakfast with his family.

Read More

Economic Drive In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

1504 Words | 7 Pages

Kafka uses diction and symbolism to convey the family’s dissatisfaction and the deterioration in their family ties. Each family member acquires a job to compensate the loss of Gregor’s salary. Kafka writes: “They were fulfilling to the utmost the demands the world makes on the poor: Gregor’s father fetched breakfast for the petty employees at the bank, his mother sacrificed herself for the underclothes of strangers, his sister ran back and forth behind the shop counter at her costumers’ behest... And the wound in Gregor’s back would begin to ache anew when… Gregor’s mother…would say: ‘shut the door now Grete’; and Gregor was left in the dark again” (Kafka

Read More

Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka Thesis

975 Words | 4 Pages

Gregor’s dad is old and it is too hard for him to get a job, his mom has severe asthma so getting a suitable job is really hard, and his sister is too young to get a well supporting job. Since his family has all of these conditions making it so that they can not go out and get a stable job. They have to depend on Gregor to provide the income of the family since they are unable to. If Gregor does not accomplish this, he fears that his family will not need him anymore and that he will become nothing to them. Night after night, Gregor travels from one lonely hotel room to another, selling textiles.

Read More

Comparing Bartleby And The Metamorphosis

1732 Words | 7 Pages

Due to this, it would be easy to interpret every detail of the story as the literal truth without looking at further scopes; however, the narration of the story consists of an ironic tone of voice, seen through the actions of Gregor’s family, making readers question the true intentions of the surrounding characters. For example, at the beginning of the story, Gregor’s mother inquires for the reason why he is still in bed, “the brief exchange [alerting] other members of the family to the surprising fact that Gregor was still at home” (Kafka, 507). Their concern is evident as each family member questions his sudden and uncharacteristic tardiness. In truth, what truly worries the family is that Gregor might be reprimanded from work. This is seen when his mother speaks to the chief clerk for Gregor’s behalf saying, “he’s not feeling well, believe me, Chief Clerk.

Read More

Essay On Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

782 Words | 4 Pages

He loathes that as a vermin, he is a burden to his family. Under the couch, Gregor is “(…) in a state of worry and murky hopes, which led to the conclusion that for the time being he would have to keep calm and with patience and the greatest consideration for his family tolerate the troubles which in his present condition he was now forced to cause them.” (Kafka 11). Gregor’s family, on the other side, never accepts his new condition and are not capable of adapting psychologically to the sight of a their son/brother as

Read More

Feminism In The Metamorphosis

795 Words | 4 Pages

Gregor is the main provider within the family for the amount of income he brings, and is idolized for his role. Being raised in the 20th century, Gregor 's view on women had been the same as any other male during this time period and looked down upon women as inadequate, and, in most societies, the man provides and the woman maintains; however, this viewpoint alternates once the unexpected change in their life occurs resulting in a switch of leadership within their household. "Gregor felt very proud that he had been able to provide such a life in so nice an apartment for his parents and his sister. (21)" After his mysterious modification within his physical form, his mentality also weakened.

Read More

More about Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Essay

Open Document