Kafka's Metamorphosis

“Freud uncannily identifies the uncanny in the word uncanny itself.” (McCoskey, 109) Freud defines the concept of uncanny as something familiar, yet at the same time foreign. One of the most closer harmony with this word is visible with Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Protagonist, Gregor Samsa, wakes up one morning transferred into a giant insect. As comparison with the concept, he becomes an unfamiliar creature but remains himself inside of his exterior. The novel reflects a strong criticism towards the period of time before Modernity. Freud introduces this way of thinking with the journey towards rational thinking. Freud’s arguments on Id, Ego and Super Ego correlates with new way of thinking and introduces an era with modern examination, followed

The word ‘uncanny’ means unfamiliar. If we look deeper the meaning of ‘unfamiliar’, it’s German equivalent is ‘unheimliche’, which means ‘unhomely’. Those two descriptions bond with each other. The usage of word ‘home’ associates with accustomed and common. With the addition of the negative adjunct, it becomes uncommon, a being outside the home, against the habitual nature of the being, unnatural. Metamorphosis can make a familiar being uncanny. There is another term, Kafkaesque, which represent illogical situations, depressive characters and dark atmosphere. The term strongly correlates with Metamorphosis and uncanny. The novels which include double characters and uncanny as a theme, mostly also include at least the dark atmosphere or in between characters. The representation of doubling directly creates illogical events and behaviors for the understanding of the character. Moreover, uncanny cannot pronounce without a gloomy atmosphere. A combination of familiar and unfamiliar can create a positive character under uncommon circumstances but mostly, as a result of the outcomes of uncanny, the setting, plot or the atmosphere become discomforting or one of the characters will face the alienation. In this novel, the uncanny situation starts from the beginning, and continues with the help of stream of consciousness. We have an omniscient/ Godlike narrator; therefore, the reader is not able to comment

The criticism starts with the reaction of Gregor Samsa and concludes with the metamorphosis of the family. The ending of the novel is positive in contrary with the whole novel. In addition, the closure scene represented with sunshine, whereas the room of Gregor Samsa, even the city and the other parts of the apartment transferred as dark and gloomy. The family decides to move to a smaller but central apartment, they become aware of the beauty of the sister and how she has grown up already. The novel ends with an idealized family portrait, which creates a contradiction with the whole novel. When the unfamiliar thing (Gregor) dies, the family find their way back to happiness, and create an unhappy ending for the uncanny, alienated