Inequality In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

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The conflict between the rights of men and women equality has always existed, yet people, too attentive to the views of a patriarchal society, often overlook the effects of inequality. For many centuries, in most societies, there has always been “defined roles” when it comes to men and women. The man is supposed to provide for the family and the woman maintains the household. These extremes produce boundaries that hinder both genders from attaining an optimal potential. Franz Kafka, born in the 1880’s, a time when gender roles were socially important, wrote a story that makes readers analyze his thoughts on male and female equality from a distinct perspective.
In “The Metamorphosis”, Kafka uses the initial transformation of Gregor to showcase Grete, Gregor’s sister, own metamorphosis to reveal the boundaries that limit growth and acceptance in societies with specific gender roles. Through a feminist point of view the representation of Grete before and after Gregor’s metamorphosis, suggests that the equality of genders is important and valued by Kafka. In “The Metamorphosis” Kafka uses Grete has an example of the concerns of unequal gender …show more content…

Males are thought as the breadwinners of the family and in control, while females are supposed to stay at home and be mothers, that cook and clean. Feminist, women (and men) have been protesting and fighting for gender equality for centuries and it is still a battle for today’s society. “Women are not only manipulated by gender norms: they create, negotiate, and transform those norms as well” (Hausman,517). The stereotypical roles of females are still use in literature even with the progress that has been made with trying to make all genders equal. Kafka displays the “common” gender roles of throughout “The Metamorphosis” however, the way he depicts them through Grete allows the reader to interpret he is trying to show the benefit of breaking gender

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