Theme Of Self-Sacrifice In The Metamorphosis

Self-sacrifice is one of the themes conveyed throughout the novella The Metamorphosis. Gregor Samsa seems to be a tragic protagonist, as he feels obliged to take care of the family, yet he is never appreciated. In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka uses point of view, symbols, and plot to convey that without acknowledgements, self-sacrifice would ultimately lead to tragic self-destruction.

The story develops through a third-person limited omniscient view, as readers are only able to understand it from the perspective of Gregor Samsa, who is the protagonist and the narrator of this work. However, through Gregor’s eyes the story is told with limited emotion and details. With his point of view, readers can easily see Gregor’s self-sacrifices to

Family’s ignorance has also quickened the process. In exposition of The Metamorphosis, Gregor is presented as a relatively successful citizen. He and his family live in their own house, although Gregor is the only one working, they still have a maid to work for them. Nonetheless in the end, Gregor dies alienated and involuntarily. As “his head involuntarily sank down altogether” (Kafka 49), his destruction as a human is determined. Kafka reveals to readers the process of Gregor’s self-destruction throughout the story. Some would argue that the story begins with a climax, which is most biggest sacrifice Gregor made: He is transformed into “an enormous bug” (Kafka 11). As he did not make sacrifices to the family, he is still considered as an individual with all the human attributes as the rising action develops. He is able to think logically; there is a detachment between his bug body and human mind, as “each time he rock[s] back into the supine position” (Kafka 11) when he wants to move. He is also able to see. However as the rising action develops, the family begins to ignore him as Gregor but see him as a monster, he is forced to make sacrifices and compromises to wards the family. His human qualities begin to destruct. He has more connection with the body, and starts to enjoy “hanging up on the ceiling” (Kafka 32) like a bug. He also “no longer derive[s] the slightest pleasure from eating” (Kafka 32) when Grete starts to neglect him. When the story getting closer to the climax, Gregor loses more humanity when he sacrifices his room into a cave where a bug lives. His last confrontation with the family is when he comes out to save his sister from the lodgers. He has almost no humanity at the time; to others Gregor is only a giant bug. Grete eventually declares that “[they] have to get rid of it” (Kafka 47). The declaration can be