Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

Within family there will always be sacrifices each member makes. Sometimes we dread making these sacrifices because they prohibit us from doing things we would rather do with our time or because they simply make us unhappy, but regardless of the resentment, we are able to say that we do things for our family, which gives us a sense of pride. In the novella, “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka, the ability or inability to sacrifice one’s time for work or for the well being of one’s family create a divide between the family members. Through Gregor’s transformation from human to bug Kafka shows the family’s divide via the inevitable need for the family’s changes in roles, indirect implications of Gregor’s human disappearance, and symbols that Gregor

Both of these items symbolic of Gregor’s sacrifice of his time for work were the things he valued most in his room. The desk, a symbol of work, and one that he no longer had use for since he no longer had a human body he claimed, “had to stay” and for this desk he was willing to “intervene” and stop his sister and mother from removing it from his room. However, work had been the one thing Gregor mentioned throughout the novella. In the beginning when his chief executive mad a visit to the home in an effort to complain and demand an explanation as to why he had performed poorly as well as missed the train, Gregor verbally defended himself and gave the reader a side of him unknown throughout the rest of the novella. Usually Gregor thinks of the things he will say before saying them and is cautios with his words in order to not hurt others, but in the case of his work, he takes pride in his effort and it is evident. When the executive stormed out, the only thing on Gregor’s mind was to get a hold of him in hopes to make him guarantee he would relay the message to the firm as to why he was unable to attend

47). Grete in an attempt to calm her conscience for deciding to get rid of her own brother elevated her and her family’s efforts and disregarded all Gregor had done for them in the past. There could’ve been a solution other than death or expulsion from the family but she chose to get rid of her burden. In Mr. and Mrs. Samsa’s case it is evident when they rapidly switch focus from Gregor and think of finding Grete a husband without her approval. It is undeniable that Gregor and his family all lost a lot. When first reading this novella one is inclined to favor either Gregor or the family because there is a big divide amongst them due to the fact that they cannot communicate with each other. However, in the novella when the reader stops thinking about the noticeable barriers that prohibit the family from communicating and understanding Gregor we are left with what should be presumed as the root of their problems; their roles in the family being on completely opposite ends as well as their ability or inability to supply for the family’s well being as a tool of remorse used against each other. While Gregor lost his life he gained a sense of freedom from having to carry the weight of his family on his shoulders as well as the ability to spend time