Adversity In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

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In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor’s transformation into a bug and his family’s conflicted emotions prove adversity cannot stop a family from fighting to be with their loved ones. Each of Gregor’s family members has their own conflict; Gregor’s sister Grete becomes frustrated balancing caring for Gregor and working at her new job, his mother fears Gregor’s grotesque body but wants to see her son, and his father struggles to keep Gregor in the family after his father takes back his role as head of the house. With all of them trying to turn Gregor back, the ending of the story is more tragic, as none of them can save him from his inevitable death. Initially in a close relationship with Gregor, Grete finds herself hating the mere sight …show more content…

“Hurriedly” and “hastily” reveal Grete focuses more on providing for the …show more content…

The first time Gregor reveals himself to the family, he recalls his father “drove him back, hissing and crying ‘Shoo!’ like a savage” (86). “Savage” demonstrates his father’s harsh behavior toward Gregor, a behavior he has never shown before. He is mostly thinking about making sure Grete and Gregor’s mother are safe, without stopping to think of Gregor’s safety. Gregor’s father uses the transformation as an opportunity to prove he is still an important member of the family. When Gregor is in his room one day, he thinks back to when his father lost his job, remembering he had an “unsuccessful life” (97). What Gregor really means is that his father failed at taking care of his family. Thus during Gregor’s time as a bug, his father overcompensates for his previous lack of effort by acting aggressive toward Gregor to protect his family, forgetting that Gregor is still his son. After Gregor’s mother faints at seeing Gregor’s appalling body, his father attacks Gregor, who knows “his father believe[s] [in] only the severest measures suitable for dealing him” (108). His desire to protect his family pushes away all logic; he “believes in,” or is convinced that the only way to keep Gregor away is through excessive

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