Essay topic- What does Kafka suggest about how much control we really have over our lives?
Life, as we all know, is wild and unpredictable. Anything could happen, at any time. However, sometimes we feel that we have a part to play in this course, and that our decisions could affect this string of events. Does Franz Kafka share this view with us? What does he portray as being the reason for this chain of events in The Metamorphosis?
The Metamorphosis is an unpredictable book, from start to end. Gregor’s turning into a cockroach was the very start of it all. However, if Gregor had behaved differently in his life before, could he have changed that fact? There are many possible reasons for Gregor turning into a cockroach. The most likely of these is due to his lowly, shameful lifestyle. To the reader, Gregor’s life is visibly pathetic and pitiful. Even Gregor himself is aware that his work dominates his life (‘‘ "Oh, God", he thought, "what a strenuous career it is that I 've chosen! Travelling day in and day out. ….It can all go to Hell!" ’’ –p.3). And yet, he keeps to his regular, tedious schedule, despite the fact that he hates his job, just so that he can put a wad of cash on his family table. His work is always his first priority, even upon waking up having turned into a horrifying, gruesome insect. This is, while being a rational thought, not one that most people would have while in a panicked situation. He is so obsessed with his work, in fact, that it almost seems like