In Franz Kafka’s novella, “The Metamorphosis,” Kafka paints a picture of the
nightmarish world of Gregor Samsa, a young man who mysteriously turns into an insect.
Gregor works as a traveling salesman who experiences separation from his family and
the real world. Throughout the book, the narrator addresses the outrageous obstacles put
before Gregor as mundane and pedestrian. The detachment of the narrator exemplifies
the sense of abandonment that Gregor feels from his family and the outside world. “The
Metamorphosis” explores the feeling, very common in humans of Kafka’s and modern
times, of alienation. Kafka utilizes a detached and sober narrative style, absurdist tone,
and irony throughout “The Metamorphosis”. Through the omniscient and straightforward
narrator, Kafka creates a world where the abnormal is seen as the normal.
In the opening passage of The Metamorphosis, the narrator blatantly
describes the impossible and utterly outrageous transformation of a man, Gregor, “into a
monstrous vermin” (3). Through blunt narration, the idea of calm, matter-of-factness to
deal with startling content is created. By addressing this uncommon situation with
complete seriousness and normality, the reader understands that this world should be
expected to be chaotic, yet not viewed as chaotic by any character in the novella. The
narrator foreshadows Gregor’s focus and concern for ordinary issues by addressing his
metamorphosis as a pedestrian concern. Because the narrator remains detached from the
situation throughout the entirety of the book, the reader becomes more aware of the
isolation of Gregor. Gregor does not only experience isolation from his family because of
his job and isolation from the world...
... middle of paper ...
...s because the situations the
reader is observing are already crazy enough. Hearing the exact, unbiased events helps
the reader understand the transformation, any fights that took place, motivation and
emotion completely unclouded by any biased, or attached speaker. “The Metamorphosis”
explores alienation and the commonality of isolation as a part of the human condition.
The audience can see that even when a man becomes an insect, they can become more in
touch with their human side. When the reader is made aware of this irony, the audience
learns of how common isolation from one’s self is. Kafka employs a detached, sober, and
omniscient narrative style, absurdist tone, and irony throughout “The Metamorphosis”.
By accepting the outrageous as the common, the audience is able to push past the
farcicality of events and see Gregor as a real character.
As the irony continues this allows the reader to develop feelings and opinions towards the characters. No matter if one may have
People today live in an absurd world, where they are constantly working and on the go, they forget what matters most to them like their dreams and aspirations and become work zombies. That is why the stories of the Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy speak to me, they comment on the absurdity of mundane daily life and tasks that we have become accustomed to and make you think about the life that you are living. The main characters of the two stories, Gregor Samsa and Ivan Ilych, become overwhelmed by the amount of pressures that they put on themselves and by their families. The two characters epitomize what the workers of today have become and the worst part is they never realize how unhappy they have become until it is too late. I know many of us feel the burden of working to much and not living the way we want to. These stories are very bleak and don't offer hope for the main characters, they failed to adapt and perished because of it. The stories make you feel that as if there is no escaping the absurdity of life, as is the
Early one morning, Gregor woke to discover he had transformed into a human-size bug. However, it was not him turning from a young man into a bug in the matter of one night that worried Gregor, but the fact that he was going to be late for work! After reading the first several pages, one might find themself bewildered as to why and how Gregor dealt with this transformation with such stride. No, Gregor had not lost his mind, nor had he expected this situation to ever occur (How could something so singular ever be anticipated for that matter?). It was instead, the mere fact that working as a slave to the relentless, capitalist society he knew as life had alienated Gregor to the point that such a change as becoming a bug was nothing more than a confirmation of his insignificant place in the world.
a. Gregor does not feel accepted by society so when his family thinks he’s been hurt and want to help him, he sees it as a new found acceptance back into society/humanity
his father incurred, Gregor has had to suppress his rebellious wish. Kafka alludes to the
Throughout this short story, Gregor who has been reduced to one of the lowest forms of physical animal forms without reason, his family whose psychological development is least human and humane. Although he has changed form, his emotional being has not changed in any fundamental way. Gregor still has human feelings and needs, he still wishes to relate with his family and other members of society, and he still wishes to be responsible, his mother, father, and his sister have not changed form, but their metamorphoses are the most profound because they demonstrate how easily one’s beliefs, values, and basic treatment of others can be compromised because of a failure to adapt psychologically to an unexpected change of something they always considered as normal.
Bernstein, Richard. “A VOYAGE THROUGH KAFKA'S AMBIGUITIES”. New York Times 02 May 1983. : n. pag. ProQuest Platinum.
Sokel, Walter H. “From Marx to Myth: The Structure and Function Of Self-Alienation In Kafka’s Metamorphosis.” Critical Insights: The Metamorphosis (2011): 215-230. Literary Reference Center. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.
When reading a story or watching a movie we automatically fall in love with the animal characters and have a closer bond more than the human characters in the story. When our favorite animal character dies, we are more heart broken. I know when watching a movie and just knowing that my favorite animal character dies breaks my heart. I then do not want to continue watching the movie, but have to watch the ending, so then finally find out that my animal friend comes to life, it brings me into joyful tears and finally decided that I really like the movie again. For example, when I was watching the television series The Seven Deadly Sins and when the pig character Hawk dies, I got so upset that cute character dies, I then watch the last episode
In the average family, parents try to recognize their children and treat them all equally, but that was not the case with the Samsas, where they recognized their son Gregor no more than a source of income. When Gregor was not able to work anymore after the metamorphosis, the family rejected his existence as a bug and he was neglected and treated with cruelty. The effect of financial pressure on Gregor’s social life took place before the metamorphosis, because Gregor has devoted all his effort and time into his job to serve the family’s needs, in the meantime he ignored his social life, which lead to an extreme sense of alienation. From a personal interpretation, Kafka tries to present Gregor as a frustrated building block of the bureaucratic system, which leads to the belief that Kafka was criticizing bureaucracy and prove that it is alienating on a much larger scale than one person; rather it could alienate an entire society or even a nation.
The feelings of loneliness and betrayal are feelings that we all feel one too many. Some have these feelings for a few simple days, and then those feelings soon pass. For others, however, this is a feeling that is felt for most of their lives. Our loneliness may make us feel alone, when our loneliness is actually common. In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the topic of alienation is an ongoing theme from beginning to end. I have interest in this passage because it reveals the writers understanding of a feeling that we all get from time to time. This novella helps us relive these emotions with an understanding that we are not alone in our loneliness.
Frank Kafka is considered one of the most influential writers of all time. Helmut Richter would agree with this statement. Richter agreed that Kafka was a very prominent figure in world literature and was amazed by his mechanics and word usage. I feel that his essay is supportive of Kafka’s writing, but also leaves out many important details in its brevity. Richter did not include Kafka’s flaws and tendencies in his essay.
Distorted reality one the biggest themes in Metamorphosis, as it is the basis of the story. Gregor wakes up as an insect and his lack of reaction makes it seem likes it is completely normal,...
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a gloomy tale about a young man, Gregor Samsa, who transformed into a bug. He is endowed with human pathos among heartless characters that continue to alienate him, even after his physical transformation that left him unrecognizable by the people closest to him. His metamorphosis is an extension of the alienation he already felt as a person by his family. Gregor soon realizes that the very people you help, often leave you helpless.
Life is a never-ending metamorphosis. It is always changing, always transforming. Sometimes a change is followed by positive results, but on the darker side, a metamorphosis can lead to damage or suffering. But of course, the concept of metamorphosis can also be related into the wonderful yet unrealistic world of magic and sorcery. Metamorphosis can mean a rapid transformation from one object to another or a distinct or even degenerative change in appearance, personality, condition, or function. The concept of metamorphosis is commonly used in pieces of literature to describe an extreme change in character or form.