Character Analysis Of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

In the story Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka portrays Mr. Samsa, Gregor’s father as a cold-hearted parent who experiences his son’s transformation into a giant bug; worried only by a sense of lost financial support, Mr. Samsa has little to no concern towards his son’s welfare. On the other hand, Bram stoker, the author of Dracula sketched Van Helsing as a righteous hero character trying to save humanity by leading a group of courageous men and women to hunt down an evil vampire. Comparing a kind hearted, knowledgeable and fearless leader to an insensitive, selfish and broken Oldman, these two characters present two completely different traits of the characteristic; moreover, through the characteristics of both characters, the authors revealed their

The book’s preface suggests Kafka had an unsuccessful relationship with his father. “His emotional life was dominated by his relationships with his father, a man of overbearing character”. (Metamorphosis and Other Stories). Therefore, Kafka illustrated his personal experience in the story as he sketched an unpleasant relationship between Mr. Samsa and Gregor. Moreover, Mr. Samsa was portrayed as an old man with little to no sense of community because of his action and attitude towards his son. “When from behind his father now gave him a truly liberating kick, and he was thrown, bleeding profusely, far into his room” (Metamorphosis and Other Stories). This hostile relationship demonstrated the loss of community and connection between the father and son. More importantly, through Mr. Samsa’s attitude and action, Kafka transcends his feeling for the value of community. On the contrary, Van Helsing is sculptured by his author as a brilliant professor who has a noble purpose: to save humanity from an evil. “It would be at once his sheath and his armor, and his weapons to destroy us, his enemies, who are willing to peril even our own souls for the safety of one we love---for the good of mankind, and for the honor and glory of God.” (Dracula 275). Van Helsing is speaking in terms of God and humanity, which is a much-elevated level of community than Mr. Samsa’s small household community. Moreover, Van Helsing believes in humanity, and he is willing to scarify himself to protect humanity from evil. Bram stoker’s value of community is demonstrated through his heroic character Van Helsing, who has a much-elevated purpose than Kafka’s Mr.