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Literary analysis of the metamorphosis
Critical analysis of metamorphosis
Critical analysis of metamorphosis
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“One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug” (Kafka). What just happened? Has Gregor really become a bug? This story, The Metamorphosis, is about Gregor Samsa who deals with a job he hates in order to financially support his family and pay off their debt. The story is told through the lens that is Gregor Samsa. As the eyes and ears of the story, Gregor tells the reader many things that all lead to one conclusion, he really has become a bug; however, this is not true, Gregor, in his current mental state, cannot be trusted. Due to the extreme amounts of stress Gregor is under, he has convinced himself that he has become a “monstrous verminous bug” and Kafka tries to convince the reader of that same fact (Kafka). Throughout …show more content…
First, Gregor mentions that traveling causes him stress. He says he has to deal with the “worries about train connections” (Kafka). If Gregor misses his train even one time, as he did in the story, one of the managers will confront him. After being a good employee for “five year[s]” and never reporting in “sick[,] even once” it would be thought that Gregor’s boss would let him off the hook, but instead, as Gregor puts it, if he called in sick, “The boss would certainly come with the doctor from the health insurance company and would reproach his parents for their lazy son and cut short all objections with the insurance doctor’s comments; for him everyone was completely healthy but really lazy about work” (Kafka). Having this kind of boss is bound to cause Gregor a surplus of stress. Along with trains, Gregor must also deal with the stress of “temporary and constantly changing human relationships which never come from the heart” (Kafka). As a salesman, Gregor must act as if his customer is his best friend in order to have a higher
Gregor Samsa, a hard working salesman providing for his family in need, has sacrifice his own freedom for the sake of the survival of his family. As a provider, his family is expecting him to work, be successful, and bring home the wealth. Although Gregor doesn’t enjoy his tedious job in the slightest, he still agrees to do it. This is more influenced by his father’s debt rather than his own morals. “If it weren’t for my parents, I would have quit long ago, I would have gone to the boss and told him off” (Kafka 2). This shows that he is a frustrated individual. Gregor is someone who would likely hold in his own personal feelings to preserve the family name. A night of nightmares later, Gregor awakes to see his many little legs flailing about. He isn’t initially shocked by this horrid transformation and however terrible it looks to him, his primary focus is how is he going to get to work? In spite of everything, he is still in the mindset of working no matter what the cost. After all, he doesn’t want to lose the tr...
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is the story of Gregor Samsa, his turning into a bug, and his ultimate death. In the beginning of the novel Gregor wakes up as a bug and struggles to become used to his new body. Gregor is locked in his room and late for work; he is the only one who works in his family, so it is important that he shows up and earns money to pay off his parents debts. His office manager shows up wondering where he has been and everyone is shocked to see Gregor’s transformation when he finally makes his way out of his room. Upon seeing him, his father shoves him forcefully back into the room, scraping Gregor’s back. Grete, Gregor’s sister, is his primary caretaker throughout the book and she makes certain he is receiving the food he wants and is the only one to clean his room for him. Gregor’s mother and father do not pay much attention to him at all throughout the book. The mother occasionally checks on him, but can barely stand the sight of him. Eventually, Grete starts working and stops taking care of him too, leaving Gregor all by himself. Betrayal is evident in The Metamorphosis and contributes to
In general, Gregor has little influence in the lives of others. Being a commercial traveler, he doesn’t get the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with people outside of his family. As Gregor describes it, he has “…casual acquaintances that are always new and never become intimate friends” (90). He also does little not pertaining to his work or family, and makes no attempts to reach out to others. His mother even says, “The boy thinks about nothing but his work. It makes me almost cross the way he never goes out in the evenings…” (95). Without additional interaction, Gregor is not important in the lives of people outside of work and family, making his effect on other negligible, like an insect’s. Furthermore, despite how vital work is in Gregor’s life, he holds a very inconsequential position in the office. As Gregor appeals with the chief clerk to give him the benefit of the doubt, he admits that “travelers are not popular” because they are “never seen in the office almost the whole year around” (101). Gregor desperately tries to plead with the clerk to let him keep his job because he is aware that he is replaceable. This shows that Gregor lacks significance even when he is working towards his all-consuming goal of supporting his family. It is possible to say that the only place Gregor has influence is in his own home, with
Gregor Samsa awakes one morning to discover that he has been transformed into a repugnant vermin. One may never know what initiated this makeover, but the simple truth is that Gregor is now a bug, and everyone must learn to live and move on in this strenuous situation. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the characters that interact with Gregor, including his mother, his father, and his sister Grete, must come to terms with his unfortunate metamorphosis, and each does so by reacting in a unique way. Gregor’s family members are constantly strained by this unusual event, and all three of them are pressed to their breaking point.
Gregor, prior to his metamorphosis, is stuck in a cycle of suffering. He is a slave to his obligations and is alienated emotionally from the outside world. His life, ruled by his families dependence on him, around a job he neither choose nor enjoys. Gregor’s work so engrosses his life that there is no time for rest. He has not “had a day’s illness in his five years at the firm.” and that “if it weren't for my parents I’d have handed in my notice long ago.” (Kafka 1967) Gregor lives alarm clock ...
When comparing Franz Kafka and his personal life to The Metamorphosis it is obvious in more ways than one that he was writing a twisted story of his life. The emotional and physical abuse Gregor goes through are similar to what Kafka went through in real life. They were both abused and neglected by their fathers when they were disappointed with them. Kafka uses Gregor transforming into a bug as a way of exaggerating himself, trying to express his feelings and point of view. When writing, Kafka felt as if he was trapped in his room which he referred to as "the noise headquarters of the apartment". Gregor was an exaggeration of this because he could not leave the house to escape the noises and abuse.
'When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.' Franz Kafka opens his novella Metamorphosis (also The Transformation and The Transfiguration) with the above phrase, a simple statement of fact. He startles the reader with this bold first sentence. It draws the reader directly to the question of why? Why is Gregor Samsa a monstrous vermin. The inclusion that Samsa has had 'unsettling dreams' could indicate that he was subconsciously aware of his metamorphosis taking place. It also tells us that his mind is not at rest. The words 'monstrous vermin' in the publication translated by Stanley Corngold differ from the description in the original German. The German translates directly to 'horrific bug' . 'Monstrous vermin' still leaves the reader space to imagine a number of different vermin that Samsa could have become, but the use of 'horrific bug' narrows this down somewhat. Kafka's opening sentence shows the path that Samsa's feelings follow, to the point, with little hope.
In the novella The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the author analyzes change and its repercussions in its entirety. Kafka offers a unique perspective as he follows the transformation of the main character, Gregor Samsa. The transformation from human to insect, as exemplified by Gregor, helps the reader understand Kafka's portrayal of Samsa as a character. The reaction of Gregor's family and their own transformation throughout the progression of the story also provides readers with Kafka's thoughts on change and alienation as well as other key themes. One may argue that the two most prominent transformations were that of Gregor and his sister Grete. Although Gregor's personality remains relatively consistent throughout, his physical transformation serves as the basis of the plot which strengthens its prominence. Grete goes through several changes throughout the novella as well. Grete's transformation from girl to woman holds nearly as much significance as Gregor's. Ultimately, each member of the Samsa family undergoes transformations of various degrees. Throughout the novella, the relationships between the Samsa family emphasizes the common practice of completely disregarding someone once they have changed in a way that doesn't abide by the standards society has deemed as acceptable. Through the use of Gregor Samsa as well as other characters, Kafka expresses his ideas on change and the stigma that is, at times, associated with it which can lead to alienation; each character can also serves as a metaphor by representing society and our tendency to reject people based on their flaws physically or personality-wise.
Gregor had struggled through feelings of isolation prior to and following his transformation. At his work he found that although he came into contact with many people, there were “no relationships that last[ed] or [got] more intimate. (1.4) On top of this, Gregor had no life outside of work. He failed to maintain any meaningful relationships, leaving him isolated and alone. At home Gregor would lock his doors like he would do at work when travelling,
“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself”(3). Before even getting up from bed, Gregor Samsa’s life and the life of his family is irreversibly changed. In The Metamorphosis, written by Franz Kafka, Gregor, a traveling salesman, transforms overnight into a gigantic insect. As a result of this physical change, Gregor’s relationships with his family deteriorate as they are repulsed by his vile appearance. The Metamorphosis suggests that Gregor’s transformation serves as an allegory for mental illness. Kafka creates these parallels through the casual nature of Gregor’s metamorphosis, his inability to function as a member of
Just as Jesus makes personal sacrifices to help his people, Gregor similarly sacrifices his dreams and happiness to provide a good life for his family. Gregor's life revolves around his job as a travelling salesman. He is committed to his work, although he dislikes his job, "what a gruelling job I've picked. If I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I would have quit long ago" (4). Gregor's life lacks comfort and joy; he is constantly travelling, and is unable to form quality relationships. However, he sacrifices his dreams for future happiness so that he can provide for his family. As the sole 'breadwinner' of his family, Gregor keeps only a few dollars from his paycheque each month, using the rest to pay family debts and sending the money home to his parents. His family is completely dependent on him for financial security, and Gregor's generosity preven...
Nonetheless, the first thing on his mind was about his job and was worried more about missing the bus to attend work rather than himself. In the text, Gregor says: “It’s a lot more stressful than the work in the home office, and along with everything else I also have to put with these agonies of traveling-worrying about making trains, having bad, irregular meals, meeting new people all the time…” (Kafka 118). Gregor was more concerned about missing work rather than accepting the fact that he had lost his form as a human being. But, he was not the only one who was concerned about his well-being, but his family as well. The problem was his family only viewed him as the money maker; without him, the family will likely be poor without his support. Gregor’s family relied on him to provided them since his salary helped them a lot due to his traveling as a sales person. Kafka writes, “‘Gregor,’ a voice called-it was his mother- ‘it’s a quarter to seven. Didn’t you have a train to catch?’” (Kafka 120). The mother was concerned about Gregor not leaving the house on time to go to work. Although, readers/audience may assume that the mother was performing her role as a mother and checking on her children. But, if the mother was concerned about her son, she would of helped him instead of relying on him all the time. Gregor’s identity had been revealed when he is no longer
In The Metamorphosis Kafka illustrates a grotesque story of a working salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking up one day to discover that his body resembles a bug. Through jarring, almost unrealistic narration, Kafka opens up the readers to a view of Gregor’s futile and disappointing life as a human bug. By captivating the reader with this imaginary world Kafka is able to introduce the idea that Gregor’s bug body resembles his human life. From the use of improbable symbolism Kafka provokes the reader to believe that Gregor turning into a bug is realistic and more authentic compared to his unauthentic life as a human.
Using symbols, Kafka illustrates the story which is not just about Gregor’s transformation but it is more than that. The entire Metamorphosis is an allegory about Gregor changing into a vermin, symbolize that he wanted to free himself from his family obligation. “As Gregor Samsa awoke from unsettling dreams one morning, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 7). He thought his transformation was a dream but he soon realizes that it was reality. Gregor was the source of the income for his family and was employed in a job he did not like. “What a grueling profession I picked! Traveling day in, day out” (Kafka 7). This is ironic because Gregor was forced by his father to choose the alienated career. Mr. Samsa was indebted to his boss; working as a traveling salesman he would have pay off his father debt. Working as traveling salesman made Gregor alienated socially and mentally. The word transformation does not only app...
Long before the story takes place, Gregor Samsa's father had a business failure that left him deep in debt. His son, Gregor, works as a commercial traveler for the company to whom he owes money; in effect, Gregor is slowly working off his father's debt. Gregor is not happy with his job, which Greenburg calls "degrading" and "soul-destroying," but believes that his family's existence depends upon him "sacrificing himself by working at this meaningless... job," and so he continues (274). Heinz Politzer goes far enough to say that Gregor is a slave to his boss (276), which would imply that there is no escape for Gregor- at least, no conventional escape.