Frank Kafka's Metamorphosis

Who is the Real Parasite? - #2
Living a relatively monotonous life, Gregor Samsa has his world change one morning when he discovers his transformation into an oversized insect. In Franz Kafka’s short story, “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor struggles with not only his physical devolution into a vulgar organism, but also the condemnation and revulsion from his family. Gregor’s metamorphosis ultimately illustrates a disturbing fact: once Gregor is no longer the provider for the family, he loses all significance to his family. This in turn raises the question of who the real parasite is in the family, which the reader soon sees is anyone but Gregor, despite his physical, superficial metamorphosis.
The breadwinner of his family, Gregor has become enslaved by providing for his family’s comfortable lifestyle, an expectation bound by his lethargic parents. Mr. Samsa is described as an inattentive deadweight with an unsuccessful business while Mrs. Samsa is a meek woman suffering from asthma. Before his transformation, Gregor provided for his family as a good son but they became dependent to the extent that “the money was received with thanks and given with pleasure, but no special feeling of warmth went with it anymore”(27). Ostensibly incapable of working, Gregor’s parents leech off him to pay off everything they own, while complaining about money and disregarding how Gregor slaves over his unsatisfying job, which turns him into a metaphorical “vermin.” Gregor sacrifices his entire adulthood to pay off their debts and the amenities they do not need, only for him to become obsolete after he is deemed useless. In fact, they seem to act more fiendish, like a parasitic vermin, than Gregor does, as his father throws an apple that “literally forced...

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...ards the fact that he is still an oversized insect, because all he can think of is being proud of her, which indicates his loving nature that is never reflected in other characters. Among all these occurrences that happens to the Samsas, Gregor remains the least emotionally and mentally revolutionized; even if he looks hostile on the exterior, he still has a heart of gold, which he prevails him being the most compassionate, reliable brother and son that will perpetually support his family.
Throughout his life, he may see the maltreatment, but seldom fails to pertain to his parents and sister rather than to himself. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the rest of family, especially those who can claim to love him the most are the ones that convey the majority of inhumane disdain and inadvertence, ultimately making Gregor the only genuine human of the house.