The Sins of Gregor Samsa of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

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The Sins of Gregor Samsa of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

Gregor Samsa’s crimes originate from his intense devotion to his family, and thus in his intense devotion to his work, which in turn makes him intently devout to the conformist society that creates his world. Gregor’s crimes are not of the scope that contains what one may consider normal or standard crimes, and his motivations come from a separate set of values than those that society would consider to be the median. As a result of Gregor’s abnormal and distinctive crimes, he becomes the victim of an odd punishment that indirectly benefits all of Gregor’s previously mentioned motivations. Within the text of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s awkward punishment turns out to be his transformation into a despicable and horrid bug. Gregor’s transformation is due to his crimes, which include alienating and losing himself in his work, stealing the position of head of the house from his father, and becoming a conformist in a society that needs deviation to define and justify its conformity. Gregor’s punishment of transformation gives him the ability to repent for all of the crimes for which he has been convicted of by himself and society and make right all of his aforementioned wrongs.

Gregor’s dedication to his job remains undeniable; even directly after the metamorphosis Gregor has plans for making it to work, alibi a few moments late. However, despite his dedication, Gregor refuses to be satisfied with his job and all that it entails, most especially his treatment. “What a fate; to be condemned to work for a firm where the slightest negligence gave rise to the greatest suspicion” (Kafka 9). The disdain for his job happens to be warranted, just as his ded...

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...elf, or prepare to accept the consequences, whatever they maybe.

Works Cited

Honig, Edwin. “The Making of Allegory.” The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 138-142.

Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Books, 1981

Kaiser, Hellmuth. “Kafka’s Fantasy of Punishment.” The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 147-156.

McNeil, Russell. “Gregor Samsa as Functional Deviant.” The Kafka Project. Feb 11,2003.

Nabokov, Vladimir. “Lecture on ‘The Metamorphosis.’” The Kafka Project. Feb. 11, 2003. http://www.kafka.org/verw_issue/nabokov.htm

Sokel, Walter. “Education for Tragedy.” The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 169-186.

Webster, Peter. “Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as Death and Resurrection Fantasy.” The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 157-168.

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