I understand that the story never tells us why Gregor has been transformed into a bug. If they would just explain the circumstances to the reader, wouldn’t that make everyone feel more sympathetic to Gregor and not just view him as a huge inconvenience to everyone.
Once Gregor becomes a bug, why does he never question it? He just wakes up, sees that his body has changed into a “Vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs… many legs, pitifully this compared to the rest of him.” (pg 1)
I believe that lighting is the most important symbol in the story. Whenever Gregor feels scared or cornered he retreats into the dark corners of the room. Also when he gets up the courage he goes towards the open and the light like when his sister was playing the violin and he began to walk out into the open family rom.
I think that Kafka used Metamorphosis as a tool for exploring his own feelings of inadequacy. Coming from a middle class working family his father became increasingly wealthy and expected his son to do the same. At a time when men and women were in seperate spheres it was up to the son to provide for his parent's retirement. However as an insurance agent in a small firm, accumulating wealth was unlikely. So he constantly was berated by societal expectations from both his father and those around him.
Although music is not prevalent within the story it acts as a catalyst. After Gregor transformed the whole family fell into a bout of depression. However once Grete played the violin (pgs 45-6) the family became awakened as if from a slumber. The father threw the boarders, symbols of societal pressure, out of the apartment signaling the end of their grieving. Afterwords when they came to accept the death of their son, the Samsas realized they were in a better situation. They all had jobs, they could afford a smaller apartment, and Grete had a bright future ahead. Music, like the sunlight in the bus, awakens the family to their fortune, not in money, but in each other.
One of the themes within the novel is the idea of control. Starting with the father he needs to be the head of the family, making decisions and keeping them together. He is the one who attacks Gregor with the cane and apple and who decides that all three of them need jobs.When Gregor was human the family relied on him not only for money but emotional support. However by the end the family takes control of their own lives and come out better for it. Thus people should not expect others to live their lives for them, rather to chart their own course and live for themselves.
Gregor's thoughts are almost entirely of the need to support his parents and sending his sister to the Conservatory even the circumstances of his transformation are highly absurd. On the other hand, the family takes care of Gregor after his metamorphosis only so far as duty seems to necessitate.
Before Gregor's metamorphosis, he is alienated from his family, his humanity, his job, and even his body, as we see from the fact that he barely notices his transformation. After he goes through his metamorphosis, Gregor feels completely alienated from his room and environment and, as a symbol of this, he is unable to even see his street out the window. Brought on by the modern social order, the Metamorphosis is a powerful indictment of alienation.
I find it incredible that Gregor continues worrying about his family's condition regardless of what seems to be their lack of care for him. He constantly overhears conversations about their economic condition and feels responsible for the family's hardship. Grete is the only family member who occupies herself with caring for her brother, while her parents do nothing. I feel that Kafka was trying to explain that family support is crucial for a person in a critical condition, such as Gregor's.
After reading the novel, I feel that a theme of the novel is that there is a limit to the amount of sympathy a person receives. As the novel progresses, Gregor's family loses interest in maintaining him. They have become more interested in their own financial problems and find Gregor as a major burden. Kafka shows that a source of great confusion loses sympathy as time progresses, which is Gregor's situation.
A reoccurring event I found as interesting in the exposition of the novel is Gregor's constant struggle of choosing between the better of his family versus the betterment of himself. Kafka brilliantly portrays Samsa's struggle by through his varying paragraphs. While one paragraph may state how Gregor feels as though he should stay in bed until he recovers, a following paragraph may lead to distinguish the complications of his previous decision and his desire to serve his family.
No matter what Gregor does, he considers the feelings of others. Even attempting to get out of bed, he considers the noise he would create and bring about the attention of others. Awww, so sweet :)
An interesting point I have noticed is that the minor characters such as the manager, chief, second servant girl, and 3 tenants, do not have specific names they are referred to. They are named the title they are given by the family and/or Gregor....interesting...was this the author being lazy or was there a purpose to it?
Gregor chose to put up with a job he clearly dislikes in order to provide for his family; however, once his transformation occurs, he feels guilty for travelling so frequently. This proving an ounce of humanity still exists in his “vaulted brown belly” (Kafka 1). A paradox in my opinion, for what seems to be a selfless act truly is a selfish one. Gregor’s great physical change did occur overnight, but his emotional one did not. His lack of harmony in mind and body stems from the grueling physical change. As the novella progresses, it is evident that Gregor becomes more and more like an animal – almost returning to a feral like state.
The world Kafka writes about is clearly not a normal one. The transformation to a beetle proves supernatural occurrences are present. I could not help but wonder, is his metamorphosis a punishment? This seems highly unlikely due to the narrator describing him as a pleasant son, brother, and employee. With that in mind, the narrator might be withholding information from the reader – meaning the narrator cannot be trusted. When Gregor startled his mother by clinging to the picture of the woman in furs, he was clearly hanging onto the last bit of humanity in him. Now, was the picture significant in that he was sexually attracted to the woman prior to his transformation or did he lust the wealth exhibited by the furs?
The first thing that caught my attention in this story was Gregor's connection to his family and their reaction to his changed state. It is obvious from the descriptions of Gregor's dedication to providing for his parents and sister and his position at work that he is a good yet ordinary person who doesn't really stand out in the world. There was no reason given yet as to why Gregor became a cockroach, and perhaps there is none, yet it happened and the world around him immediately shunned him, viewing him with fear and disgust. I read a shortened version of this book once a long time ago, and a class discussion prompt in the back suggested that the story was a metaphor for a Jew living in Nazi Germany. Considering the story from this viewpoint, everything begins to take on a deeper meaning. Gregor, a good person, has for no particular reason been turned into something disgusting and feared. As his family and friends shun him and hide him from the world, he is so convinced of being different that he slowly begins to lose sight of his humanity.
I undertand that the death of Gregor was the final necessity in order for his family to become economically stable and functional, but yet why did he have to die, could they have used him as circus attraction to boost funds which would be possible due to the interest the three tenants found in watching him, or even at the spectacle we found him to be, a huge beetle. I just feel he did not have to die for the story to hold the same meaning of relief from the pressures and stress of being a provider and survival.
I thought I'd bring back what Avery said up on the top, it is kind of funny that Gregor never seriously wonders why he turned into a bug and doesn't really seek much help to get himself back either. He just "oh, well"s it and tries to go to work anyway. I wonder what it means about his character that he never tries to figure out why he's morphed or how to get himself back in order. He obviously cares about his family and wants to help them, but he doesn't seem to want to help himself.
Actually Angela I think by focusing on helping his family he in turn helps himself. In that he takes pride in helping his family and providing for them and being the Alpha-male. Even when he wakes up in his new state, all thinks of is to go to work in order to provide, he constantly, throughout his transformation, seeks to help his family any way possible and I do not believe that is for them but more over for his own personal ego and need to feel important in his household.
I agree with Avery. I found it interesting, the very first sentence of the story starts by saying,"As Gregor Samsa awoke from unsettling dreams one morning, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin." Nothing more, nothing less-just that simple statement. There was given no reason as to why Gregor was transformed, making the story seem to have no purpose. Backing up the first sentence of the introduction, where it says,"Franz Kafka's fiction doesn't make sense."
Ok, so I was trying to figure out what Gregor's being turned into a cockroach (assuming that's what he is, Kafka never explicitly says it) symbolized; I mean, why not any other animal or nasty bug? I couldn't really find anything conclusive about what a cockroach actually symbolizes in literature. I thought perhaps a cockroach can symbolize the epitome of self-loathing because it is considered a vile creature. Gregor never seems to demonstrate any self-loathing in the book, in fact he seems proud of his family especially his sister's violin skills. But maybe the self-loathing and malcontent for his life is what's hidden inside and Gregor himself hasn't even seen it. We already know Gregor is not happy at his job and we didn't really see family relations before the transformation so we don't know how the family was doing. ...Or as someone jokingly said being a cockroach could symbolize the ability to never die no matter how hard or how many times you're stepped on (but I don't think that's it).
The entire book revolves around what others may think/how things appear to others. This is a superficial concept, which I think adds insight to another view of the family. For example, Grete never leaves Gregor's window open in case someone may walk by and see the giant insect. Instead of focusing on getting Gregor the help that HE needs, Grete makes the situation revolve around her. What if people saw the insect what would they think of HER? This is the same with the father, as well. He never goes into Gregor's room to see him, and he also guards the sight of the roomers when Gregor steps out of his room. It is as if appearance changed the love they had for their family member all together.
The time "quarter past" or "quarter til" reappears throughout the book. I am still trying to figure out the significance of this number. I know that the number three also reappears throughout the book (i.e. three roomers, three letters, etc.), and when the clock is a quarter past hour, the hand is on the three. However, I cannot find how this relates to Gregor and the story as a whole.
I wish this story had more given circumstances. The entire novel began quickly, and the reasons for his metamorphosis were never explained. Is this normal in the society that Kafka has created? Yes, the family members were infuriated, surprised, and disgusted, but their reactions almost made it seem like this has happened before. I know that I would have reacted much differently if one of my family members turned into a bug... If Kafka had given a bit more background on the world in which this story takes place, I would have had a much easier time reading the novel. Instead, I waited the entire book for his metamorphosis to be explained! Maybe this was Kafka's intention?...
Kafka's use of description and imagery are impeccable in Metamorphosis. He describes emotions of each family member, the exact form in which Gregor has changed, the passing of time, and many other circumstances in great detail. I can see Gregor's room, and watch the story happen as though it were a movie. This kept me enthralled in the novel, but was not enough to satisfy my questions stated in my earlier blog!
I laughed out of shock after reading the first sentence. There's no introduction, no explanation, nothing, just "I woke up and found myself transformed into a bug." Wow. I feel like the rest of the book followed that same lack of explanation.
I did not understand this book nearly as much as I understood the other two. That may be due to the less-than-realistic topic of this book or the lack of explanation I mentioned before, but overall it just did not make sense to me.
Kafka never descriibed the transformation. He began the novel with Gregor already transformed.Kafka left me with so many unanswered questions. I know hes a vermin and I also know hes not evil or blood sucking, but why a vermin? Why did Gregor starve himself?
Its strange that the shortest novel on the list makes the least sense. I had a hard time understanding the point of the book at all. Maybe it was Kafka inner thoughts portrayed on paper
After Gregor's transformation into a bug, many questions were formed . For example why did Gregor's lack of concern toward himself have more of an effect more than his family seeing him as something hideous and being afraid to even look at him . I find it to be a little bothering that Gregor didn't stop to think about why he actually transformed over night .
Would the book be based on how humans go through transformations of some sort durning life ? How possibly our whole life could change due to one event ? Or maybe how as humans we tend to over work ourselves and we forget the world around until we are outcasted ? This book is really confusing in a way but it still seems to be possible to seek a plot
I believe the purpose of the Metamorphosis was to demonstrate the human race and their ability to be greedy, selfish, and insensitive. Gregor's family no longer shows interest in his son once they realize he is unable to support them. The on going reference to Gregor as the Breadwinner show Gregor's worth to his family, his suffering means nothing, so they dissociate themselves from Gregor. This is true in today's society as well, people only associate themselves with those who can do something for them, exemplifying the selfishness and greed of society.
Why doesn't he ever question turning into a bug? He wakes up "monstrous vermin" (1.1) and just thinks about how hard his job is going to get? Or how he'll date?? guy needs to get his priorities straight. And exactly how big is he? -Glenda Monge
MS. MELACON IS THAT REALLY HOW IT ENDS!? I swear you always give us the worst books! Well, it seems to me that a repeated theme was the need for control. Before his transformation he controlled the outcome because he supported his family. Afterwards his family falls into a depression, losing even more control of the situation for not thinking of what to do with him instead. They do slowly start taking control back, kinda when Grete and the mother decide to clear his room of the furniture. To me it seemed like the first step into accepting he was bug even if GRegor didn't want to accept it himself. And when the father tells the boarders to leave it's like a giant revilation on the family finally having control of their lives with gregor as a bug. It was still sad though
Gregor is a bug. Bugs can't talk. The inability to communicate and express his thoughts is a constant battle. I think Kafka wanted to have people empathize with Gregor, since there are times when one cannot expires what one is feeling. One thing that Ms. Melacon pointed out to me is the ambiguity of Gregor's form. Is he actually a bug, or is he just a weirdo thinking he's a bug? Which makes perfect sense because none of the other characters actually acknowledge his bug form.
I find it weird that even after his family sees him as a bug Gregor doesn't really do anything to deny the fact that he has turned into a bug, though the signs are quite clear. He just takes it like he knew it was going to happen and that he deserved it rather than at least trying in some way to turn back into a human. even the family doesn't try to get a witch doctor or something. Strange
Gregor was still able to talk. I can't believe how any family would just stop caring about a person that has given so much to them because of a physical change in appearance. Not once did they try to talk to him after they found out he was a bug. Gregor already had no social life and cutting out the las part, his family, would make anyone go insane. Feeling useless and a burden on to someone you love would make me think that he probably killed himself.
I agree with Mick's second comment. I didn't understand and disagreed with completely cutting off normal relations with a close family member after he transformed. I also didn't understand why they were so afraid of him... even if he was big and brown. They knew he was still their son. And they celebrate that he died? Nonsense. -Michelle Plavnik
I don't get what the metamorphosis (gregor to a bug) means. Is it punishment by society? But for what? Rebellion against society? Also for what? I get the family's not well off, and the isolation after the transformation, but there is a missing link. It could be interpreted in different ways, each making sense on it's own, but we don't really know which one it is. -Michelle Plavnik
I agree with Michelle's second comment. I never understood- I still don't understand the significance of the metamorphosis. What purpose does changing the character into a bug serve? --He was trapped in his room. Showing he was trapped in debt to his parents? --Windows were his only chance for freedom, but he couldn't escaped. Meaning he didn't think he could stop working because he had to support his family? --When he died, the family was relieved and seemed better off without him. Showing?
I thought it was interesting how in the beginning, Gregor talked about not wanting to be useless. He had to work to make it up to his parents. And he worked very hard. He kept repeating how he cared for his family and he felt guilty he couldn't do anything since he was a bug. Then Gregor's feelings change to where he no longer cared much for his family and he was upset with them when they practically shunned them (which is understandable). But I was shocked that his father and then eventually his mother and sister turn against him, even though he spent a lot of his working to support them. Yeah,he did become useless and he was a bug, but...he was still family.
I find it strange how Gregor stays completely calm throughout his transformation in the beginning and even as the first 20 pages progress. Also it is obscure how he only cares about his job even though he is now a "monstrous vermin" (1.1) However, when he finally calms down about his job, he suddenly feels so much regret and tries everything to apologize to his family. If I was transformed into a creepy bug thingy I would not be concerned with my profession nor apologizing to my family.I would try to figure out a way to get out of being a creepy bug thingy.
I find it interesting that the change in Gregor is reflected to Grete. The way that Gregor is used by his family for wealth and security so they do not have to. Grete is seen at the end of the novella by her parents as an object to be married off for money.
Gregor's transformation was never really explained throughout the entire book. Kafka never revealed why Gregor was changed or what the purpose of him being changed had to do with fitting into the story. I think in the end, the Metamorphosis was less about Gregor and more about the minor characters like Grete and his mother and father. Gregor needed to change in order for the rest of his family to re-evaluate their lives and see how they could deal with the hardship of Gregor's transformation.
When I first started reading the book, I thought I had the plot line figured out. Gregor was to be transformed and then the family would realize how important he really was to the family and eventually he would return back to his original state, but I was wrong. Gregor's transformation was less about his family realizing his worth, but more about them realizing that they could not depend on him for forever. Gregor was the breadwinner of the family and without him being available to help support the family, they were lost. They didn't know what to do without Gregor, so I think that is what made the family reluctant to let go of his memory and move on. Once the family began to see that they could survive despite Gregor's presence in their life, I think that is when the real metamorphosis took place.
I agree with Dre in his reasoning behind why he thinks Gregor's transformation into the rodent was necessary. As the center piece to his family's financial success, he found himself helpless while in the body of this hideous creature. All while he was transformed, Gregor focused more on turning back into his old self so that he could continue to support his family instead of taking a moment and reflecting on his previous actions. His superego took the best of him in the entire novel because he focused more on what he knew was right instead of paying attention to what his id told him. He began to reflect on himself and in that process I think he realized that being a little more impulsive and less subservient was what he needed to stand out in his family. His ego needed to be put in perspective which is part of the reason why his metamorphosis was needed.
Gregor’s metamorphosis is presented in the first sentence of the novel. The narrator does not hesitate to explain Gregor’s situation, but not why and how this happened. I wish the reader were given some background as to how Gregor turned into a bug. All the reader knows is that Gregor,“awoke from unsettling dreams one morning”(Kafka 1). Could the unsettling dreams be the way he is living that caused him to turn into this creature? The narrator presents Gregor’s metamorphosis so naturally, making it seem as though turning into a bug is ordinary and happens often. If I transformed into a bug I would certainly wonder why. I find it strange that Gregor does not question why he is a bug; he just focuses on getting out of bed and to work. The metamorphosis helps Gregor realize how much he is unsatisfied with his life. However, he has a kind heart and is willing to work for his family because he feels as though that is his responsibility. Gregor does not seem to be bothered by his physical state unless it affects his family.
Humanity plays a huge role in The Metamorphosis. After Gregor’s metamorphosis, he physically starts to lose his humanity but still remains emotionally and mentally human. His metamorphosis not only changes his physical appearance but also the way he acts and survives. Overtime the family grows apart from Gregor, even Grete who makes an effort to help him. I do not understand why the family is so repulsed by Gregor’s physical state when they know that he is not really an insect. He’s part of the family, just in a different form. I find it strange that his family just completely abandons him when he did not even do anything wrong. I think that is why Gregor holds on to the picture of the woman in furs because it is the only thing he has left linked to his humanity.
The family also seems to go through a metamorphosis because before Gregor turned into a bug they were pretty well off; Gregor provided most of the family’s income. As soon as he transformed, the family lost most of their income because Gregor could not work anymore. Throughout most of the story Gregor seems to be resting under the sofa or just waking up from a dream. Chapter 1 and 2 begin with Gregor waking up. I think sleeping is the only hope Gregor has to return to humanity, that he might someday wake up and return back to normal. I think Grete went through metamorphosis as well, even though it was not as drastic and apparent as Gregor’s transformation. Grete was a child in the beginning of the novel and by the end she became a woman. The end of the novel suggests that the family is hopeful for the future and ready to start a better life on their own.
Franz Kafka seems to have written The Metamorphosis as a depressed metaphor for life, and it would be interesting to see if his own life paralleled the same sort of sadness that is portrayed in the story.
Also as Gregor becomes more bug-like, Franz Kafka could be saying that as we grow up we embody more of a crueler side of humanity compared to our more blissful childhood selves.
Finished the book and was kinda disappointed. The end was kinda sad, to think that the family had lost interest in their son because he was of now use anymore is depressing. I do think that the disinterest was meant to symbolize how relationships are reciprocal. Once Gregor had stopped providing finically and emotionally to the family, why would/how was the family expected to return their love? I would have liked to see some more appreciation! I mean the man just died! Oh well...
Gregor's transformation seems to have affected his family more than himself. His family depended on Gregor to maintain a stable lifestyle, but as soon as he transformed, the family began to change also and they now see Gregor as useless. I feel more sorry for Gregor than I do for his family.
While his mother and sister still show some sort of sympathy towards Gregor, they do not really think of many ways to help him. On the other hand, Gregor is constantly worrying about his family and how they will struggle because of him. He obviously cares about his family while they seem to not even consider Gregor as part of the family anymore now that he is not providing money for them.
I support were Michelle was going, I am still in the beginning of the book but I'm really interested in the isolation theme taht Kafka is bring up. Gregor's mother hints that he was isolated from his friends socially due to his job but now he is physically isolated as well. I cam curious how that isolation will play out for the rest of the book as his communication is limited at best. How will he choose to communicate? Furthermore, how will communication play a role in keeping the foundation of the family together? -Megan Eisenberg
The entire book was morbid and daunting from beginning to end. Gregor was alienated and shunned, even though he took care of his entire family. He worked day in and day out to provide them with the type of lifestyle they desired and still, when turned into a bug, he was shunned. I noticed in the beginning of the novel, Gregor's sister's named is not mentioned. She is just referred to as his sister. During this time she is still his loving and caring sister. Soon after however, she begins to be referred to as Grete. This change occurs around the time that Grete begins to become very moody and cantankerous.
One of the most important motifs in the novel is metamorphosis. Not only does Gregor go through a physical change, but also a mental and emotional one. He becomes more content with his new body and more distanced from the world and his family. Furthermore Grete, and the family as a whole complete a metamorphosis. Grete transforms into a Woman who begins to think about her future and less about Gregor. The family overcomes its financial problems and with Gregor's death becomes totally rejuvenated and hopeful, both mentally and emotionally.
Gregor never fully accepts that he has transformed into a bug. When he wakes up, he still tries to carry out his day normally, as if he is human. He tries to stand up, talk, get ready for work, etc. This proves that his mind isn't connected with his body, yet as Gregor becomes adjusted to his body, he acts more like a bug. This suggests that as the physical appearance of a person changes, the mentality also changes. The mind changes because of the physical change, not vice versa. Nevertheless, there are still certain human traits that remain within his mind. This is seen when Grete and her mother attempt to remove the furniture out of Gregor's room. The insect part of him was happy because he would be able to roam about the room freely without any hindrance, but the human part of him still had an emotional attachment to the items in his room. He now has to choose between the bug side of him and the human side of him. Because Gregor decides to cling to the picture of the woman in the fur and keep the remnant in his room, he chooses the emotional, human side. His mind is still in the human state, while his body is in an insect state. In my opinion, this discord between his mind and body is not allowing him to attain peace and harmony with himself, which in turn leads him to his death.
Gregor’s death was foreseen right from the beginning of the book. He transformed into an insect, and from research I have found that most insects that live within a home have a lifespan of only a few months. In addition, he lived directly across the street from a hospital. (Symbolism, maybe?) To me, that is a clear sign of sickness and death. Towards the end of the book, Gregor’s room literally became a storage closet. The fact that he didn’t even have control over his own room symbolizes how he didn’t have control over his life anymore. The clutter kept building and building and I believe that this clutter in his room created a kind of clutter in his mind. It’s possible that the mental clutter kept building up until his mind couldn’t even function anymore resulting in his death.
The weather was very interesting to track throughout this book. In the very beginning, Gregor lets the reader know that the weather is “dreary (the raindrops were falling audibly on the metal window ledge)” and it made him melancholy (Kafka 2). The next time Kafka mentions weather it is an “evening twilight” (Kafka 25). Gregor mentions while he is looking out the window that he “was peering out at a featureless wasteland, in which the gray heaven and the gray earth had merged and were indistinguishable” (Kafka 36). Also, the air that comes through the window is often cold. Clearly, the weather had a great influence on the characters, their feelings, and their actions. There was no excitement in the house, just melancholy and solemnity. At the end of the book, however, the weather took a turn for the better; “the fresh air was partly tinged with warmth” (Kafka 70). This is a sign of hope and good things in the future. Even though Gregor just passed, the reader gets a feeling of relief, as if something had just been lifted off of the Samsa’s shoulders. After the Samsas left the apartment for the first time in a while, the car in which they rode “was totally engulfed by the warm sun” (Kafka 73). They now have hopes for a good future.
I find it very interesting that the majority of the book can be summed up to watching this family interact with each other. For the majority of the book all the family members (with the exception of Grete) are referred to by their titles. ("praising the efforts of the sister" pg 29, " hes my unfortunate son" pg '29, "The sister rushed to the mother" pg 46). I don't know too much about Kafka's background but I think in a way Kafka is exploring the role of the family through this book. Possibly even mirroring her own family? Any one else have any other thoughts about this?
Adding onto Megan's earlier comment about communication, throughout the novel Gregor's actions start off being somewhat understood, then as the family starts to shun him more, they start to conceive his actions as malicious. Gregor sincerely loved and missed hearing his sister's music, so when he left his room to listen to it and they assumed that he was trying to take over the massive apartment, I was frustrated. I understand that he is a vermin, but he is still apart of their family, and they should know that Gregor would not do something of that nature. It seems as though the Samsa's were looking for reasons to detest Gregor. I was wondering if any of them ever missed the old Gregor since Kafka never mentioned it, and based on how they acted throughout his vermin life and death, it would seem that their relief that he was finally gone overpowered any possible feelings of sadness or remorse.
My favorite aspect of the book is the point of view. Kafka writes in a way that the reader experiences the physical confusion of being an insect and the mental trauma of being forsaken and misunderstood by your family. Because the perspective mostly remains from the mind of Gregor, it is easier to comprehend the challenges he faces in trying to be understood and treated as family. From the point of view of any other character, feeling sympathy for and having any understanding of Gregor would have been impossible.
Although we essentially see through the mind of an insect, Gregor's thoughts are entirely human. I thought it was interesting that even though Gregor's basic needs were based off of those of an insect, mentally and emotionally he did not transform whatsoever. If he had changed and become more insect-like as time went on, the transition would have been much easier for him. However, as it was, he had to suffer through thinking like a human but being treated like a bug, making it all the worse.
I thought it was clever how Kafka named the protagonist, Gregor Samsa. The Metamorphosis centers on his genetic transformation from human to vermin, and Gregor Mendel is the 'Father of Genetics' in the scientific world. I also noticed that Gregor Samsa was a very caring, loving, and supportive character that was not appreciated by his family when he was still in his human form, and certainly not when he was in his vermin form. He went out of his way to provide for his family, and they never seemed to acknowledge this fact. However, once Gregor was not able to support them anymore and the situations alternated, the Samsa family was very hesitant to take care of Gregor, and certainly did not spend quality time with him. It was quite intriguing and disappointing. I would expect more from a family when one of its members are going through a time of need.
Avery makes a good point, in the beginning of the story Gregor notices the change in him yet he doesn't question the situation, almost as if he expected it to happen. It leaves the audience wondering is there something missing.
I was surprised that Gregor didn't seem too freaked out about his changing into a vermin in the beginning. You would think that if a person randomly woke up in the body of a bug he would go insane, but instead, his primary focus was getting to work on time. I think Kafka presented Gregor's character very early, which I liked. The reader already gets a sense of Samsa's determination to provide and care for his family by getting to work on time. Kafka uses the metamorphosis to show that there are much more significant factors going on in the protagonist's life than turning into a hideous creature.
I agree with Ogundele when he says that not only does Gregor goes through a metamorphosis, but his family does as well. It had me thinking that maybe that is why Gregor transformed. His family was spoiled because of him. They depended on him for everything and never worked themselves. Perhaps the metamorphosis was in fact his saving grace. He was free from work and finally, his family had to change their selfish ways. Although his whole situation was sad, Gregor brought the family together and made them closer in ways they never were before.
I agree with Claire. This novella is all about perspective. The reader is able to experience both physical and emotional pain vicariously through Gregor, hatred towards the mother and father, and eventually Grete and sadness and confusion when Gregor finally dies. It would be impossible for the reader to understand Gregor had the novella been written even slightly differently.
I would also like to point out the significance of furniture. So much of the novella revolves around the presence and location of various pieces of furniture in Gregor's room and how that furniture either harms or helps him. Starting with the bed, and the struggles Gregor has getting our of the bed because of his condition, I guess you could call it. Then the area under the couch becomes Gregor's sanctuary, as well as the chair that Gregor uses to look out into the world. Gregor's emotional metamorphosis begins when Gregor's mother and sister remove the furniture from Gregor's room. The last part of sanity and safety he could cling to, is taken from his life and with that, his emotional state slowly worsens.
Upon Gregor's metamorphosis into a vermin, he lost the ability to communicate. His family lost the ability to be sympathetic. His father immediately is embarrassed by Gregor, as if he has become invalid or done something wrong. His mother was repulsed by Gregor's appearance and his sister, who at one time tried to care for Gregor when his parents wouldn't, became the worst by wanting to force him out of the house. Gregor continues to have faith and compassion for his family. He still greatly loves his sister, portrayed through his appreciation of her music. The novella focuses on the importance of tolerance and compassion, as Gregor's isolated life led him to depression and death. Jaclyn Turner
Jessica's idea of furniture is intriguing. The sister thinks that furniture will allow Gregor to move freely throughout the room. Furniture is an aspect of civilization. His mother thinks that the furniture will help Gregor return to his original state of being a human. The furniture holds memories that help Gregor cling to his humanity. The picture frame on the wall alludes to his past life, maybe the photograph of a woman he had an intimate relationship. Gregor wants to be as human as possible. The empty room makes him realize he is considered a low life by his family. Once the breadwinner, now he is a burden.
The sadness in the story was overwhelming. Gregor, the once main source of income for this family, was forced to turn the playing field on his them without any type of warning. He became the one that depended on someone else to survive and in the end, gave up his life so he wouldn't be a burden on his family. Throughout the entire story he was always putting his family first, especially in his thoughts, even though they saw him as some type of liability that they couldn't afford.
Gregor's acceptance of his sudden transformation into a giant bug is almost as surreal as the transformation itself. Initially, I was confused at Gregor's calm attitude towards his new body, but his desire to continue to provide for his family despite his situtaion helps the reader to sympathize with him when his family turns against him. While I was reading the novella, I had hoped that Grete would provide a little protection for Gregor, which she did by providing food for Gregor, but when she ultimately sided with her mother and father against Gregor, I was shocked. Grete was the only member of the family who could manage to gain entrace into Gregor's room. The relationship between Gregor and Grete in the novella emphasizes Gregor's alienation from his family. Every time Grete appears in Gregor's room, the reader is reminded that Gregor is not wanted as a part of the family since he is forced to hide under the couch during Grete's rushed visit. This also helps the reader to sympathize with Gregor.
I agree with Jessica that the fruniture in his room reflects Gregor's mental state. While reading the novella I noticed that the picture of the woman on Gregor's wall was mentioned a few times. The fact that he clings to this picture when his mother and sister come to remove the fruniture from his room shows that the picture was important to him, or maybe is was just the only item he had a chance of saving. Either way, Gregor's actions of protecting the picture shows his attempt to save a piece of his sanity and humanity, since every other aspect of his giant bug body completely rejects all aspects of a human being.
Kafka once wrote, “Metaphors are one among many things which make me despair of writing. Writing's lack of independence of the world, its dependence on the maid who tends the fire, on the cat warming itself by the stove; it is even dependent on the poor old human being warming himself by the stove. All these parables really set out to say merely that the incomprehensible is incomprehensible, and we know that already.”
The opening of The Metamorphosis describes the metamorphosis of a man into a monstrous, verminous bug, but in doing this it appears to achieve still another metamorphosis: it metamorphoses a common figure of speech. It seems as though Kafka's singular point of departure is common language. He allows metaphors to exist in their word. Because Gregor Samsa wishes to live as an artist, one who lives on air, in the eyes of the highly reputable, meticulous world he is a nasty bug. So, in The Metamorphosis he wakes up as a beetle whose who is content to live a life on a ceiling. The Metamorphosis begins in the transformation of a recognizable metaphor into an imaginary being literally existing as this metaphor. The character Gregor Samsa has been transformed into a metaphor that states his essential self, and this metaphor in turn is treated like an actual fact. Samsa does not call himself a cockroach. Instead he wakes up to find himself one. It’s interesting how the title reflects Kafka’s accomplishment as a writer--a metamorphosis of the function of language.
I find it tragic that Gregor spent the entirety of his life as a human working constantly to support his family. His greatest desire was to send his sister to a good school and he took great pride in the spacious and beautiful apartment he provided for his family. However, this selflessness is overlooked by his family after the metamorphosis as they feel increasingly burdened by Gregor's presence. His father begins to behave harshly towards him, the mere sight of him causes his mother to faint, and even Grete, who at first was the only one who would feed him, eventually looses faith in her brother and accuses him of trying to take over the apartment. The family resents Gregor and the apartment he provided for them and thus feel it appropriate to do the bare minimum to care for the person who lived only to support them.
I think the reason why the book came with no reason why Gregor turned into a bug is because there is no reason for to put it in there. Any explanation for what happened would distract from the point of the novella, which is the Samsa’s family reaction to the transformation. - Charlotte Cronley
It’s interesting that while Gregor has changed into a bug his mind remains human. The more he is alienated from society and treated like a animal the more he changes into one. - Charlotte Cronely
Before Gregor became an insect, he brought home the money. After his transformation, his family needed him less and less because they began making their own money to survive. Gregor was forgotten by his family. -- Celeste Hankins
I think it's a clever way of writing about how a family would deal with the main breadwinner in the house becoming unable to work, and also on a wider scope, the way a family (and the world at large) reacts to someone who is disabled, or terminally ill. It could also be an analogy for how a family treats a member of the family who is now old and needs to be cared for. The man who is now a beetle, is forced to live in his room, shut away from the world, for fear that he will frighten anyone who enters the house. Gregor, who once provided for the family, and thought of them above himself, became a burden on them. A theme that we can maybe take away from this book is how to cope with change, the ability to provide for yourself when you dont know how, and/or being able to take care of someone that has taken care of you. :) Interesting
As the audience gets to experience Gregor turning over to a primitive way of living, embracing his new nature, there are still indications of Gregor holding on to the past. At first Gregor just wants all of his furniture gone from his room so he can easily crawl around on the ceiling and around the floor. But as his sister and mother started to clear out his room it was as if they were taking away his past life, and he realized that he wasn’t ready to depart with just yet. The picture that Gregor clutches onto (the lady in fur) represents Gregor’s unwilling to face the reality of his new life.
When I first started to read Metamorphosis, I realized that Kafka uses very impersonal names for everyone besides Gregor (sister, mother, father, Mr. Manager, etc.). Then as Gregor understood that his sister was trying to come to terms of Gregor’s predicament, did the author start addressing her as Grete and continued this pattern with the change of mother and father to Mr. and Mrs. Samsa. I believe Kafka incorporated the name change when each character showed progression. When Grete was known as sister, she came off as a weak little girl who had not had to work a day in her life, but when the author started using her real name did she finally face the fact that Gregor had changed and tried to help him. Then the parents name switch occurred when they accepted their son’s death and tried to move forward by focusing on Grete’s future instead of Gregor’s passing.
Gregor's unhappiness with his life before his transformation was shown to spread to his family because while he supported them, he was actually holding them back. Once he ceased being the breadwinner, his family had to fend for themselves and it made them better people so while the metamorhosis harmed Gregor, it actually changed his family for the better.
This is the only book that I think deserves an informal response: After reading this book my response is.....REALY? DID I REALY JUST READ THAT!!!!, My first reaction to all of this was annoyance and frustration, because I know this is a "world renown classic", but I feel like I didn't connect with it what so ever. I feel stuck. I have to be missing some thing. And I'm fully willing to say that I'm probably not thinking hard enough. However, this book is about a boy who wakes up one day and is a cockroach....? Obviously I have to think harder, and after reading a lot of the posts above It's easier to look at this book a little deeper. I did realize some of the ideas above myself, while reading the novella, but even then I still feel like the book is sort of pointless in a way. (No, Im sure it has a point...) It might be due to the brevity but still, there are many short stories that have more of an impact on me and are half the length. The only thing that really impacted me in this novel, was the nonchalantness of the whole story. How laid back was Gregor when he woke up on his back with little tiny legs, learning how to turn over and walk ....? How "o.k." is the family with living with their son as a giant insect that lives under the couch? Why don't they try to fix it instead of just living with it? Its not like its going away any time soon! And then after all this "living with it" how easy is it for Gegors parents to jump on the bandwagon and agree with Greta to "get rid" and basically kick Gregor out of the house and leave him to die after all he tried to do for them. I just find it hard to believe.
Does anyone else find this story a little ridiculous? I just don't know what to get out of it......(I'm going to think about it some more)
So after thinking for about an hour, I came to the conclusion that the answer is in the title. "Metamorphosis". Obviously means changing or, transforming. Which Gregor literally does, but in this case, I don't believe that Gregor is the main character. I believe Greta is the main character because she is the one who experiences the most Change, the most "Metamorphosis". Kafka describes Gregor's sister in the beginning with hushed tones and care even in the first words she utters, trying to help out Gregor by informing him that the Chief was outside. She cleans his room, feeds him everyday, and tries to make him as comfortable and happy as she can. But in complete irony she is the one who basically kills him or at least causes his death. She changes into a greedy loud insect, like a cockroach, like her brother. But in even more irony, Gregor is the most generous cockroach I have ever seen. He hides himself so that his family wont have to look at him. He crawls under a couch and stays locked in a room by is own family. He doesn't change, he walks in the end to spare his family, he doesn't want to be a burden any more. It his family who cant put up with him any more. And it is they who changed. And they are the title.
The biggest problem I had while reading this book was understanding the symbolism. I knew that it was there, but I couldn’t figure it out by myself. His being a cockroach was clearly not meant to just be taken at face value. It was representative of something else. That’s what really makes the book what it is and I was upset that I was having so much of a struggle with it. I thought maybe it was just simply symbolic of him becoming extremely ill and seeming disgusting and useless to his family because of his condition. But at the same time I felt it had to be something more. I’m sure once we start talking about its meaning on Monday, I’ll truly be able to appreciate the book. --Bailey Moran
Following what Mariah said, I think Greta really did make a huge transformation. She cared for him while the rest of her family moped around complaining about the situation. Her mother was too scared to even look at him, when she was supposed to love her son. Greta was the one that cried when she first found out about Gregor’s transformation and by the end she made the decision to get rid of her brother, standing above not only Gregor but her father, the traditional head of the family. She also got a job and although it was difficult for her parents who were considered too old to get jobs, she was only seventeen and did her work all day and still had time to feed Gregor as well as practice her violin. She dominated as becoming the truly important character as Gregor slowly moved into the shadows, in more ways than one. --Bailey Moran
I was looking back and noticed Nichelle’s comment about alienation. I agree with that too. I think what was interesting that she didn’t point out was that he was originally a travelling salesman. He got the opportunity to move wherever he pleased and do work that supported his family and helped him feel accomplished. That was his life. And after the transformation, he was confined to his room, he left his family having to work, and was unable to even feed himself. It was a total change from what he had become used to. The alienation was important too, because when he had once been able to go wherever he wanted, he now was confined to his room like a prisoner, being given meals from his sister and having to hide from his own family for fear that they would be disgusted by his appearance. That’s further alienation than one could ever imagine. --Bailey Moran
i found it interesting how Kafka illustrates Gregor's transformation. He takes a lot of time describing the flailing legs and hard stomach but never states he is a bug. I enjoyed the creation of the image of the new Gregor through the first chapter. Also, Kafka doesn't say Metamorphosis until page 28.
I think one of the main motifs in this book were the windows and the doors. In the beginning the doors almost represented the voices behind them. They were the compressing walls that represented the stress placed on him by his family. Soon the rooms behind the doors became dangerous and Gregor had no control over their opening and closing. At times they were even his views in to the new, unfamiliar world of his family that he was now isolated from. However the windows became his hope and freedom. After his death " The cleaning women shut the door and opened the window wide."pg 52 Then the room became bright and surrounded Gregor in light like a Christ figure.
Its seems like Gregor worked for his family like an ant would work for a queen ant which could be the reason Kafka made Gregor's character turn into a bug like creature.
Gregor's father's reaction to the change was to at first ignore his son. However, he grew to think of his son as a monster believing that no part of his son's spirit remained in the insect. This anger is demonstarted in his violence towards Gregor. The rest of the family soon adopted this mentality and began to wish that the creature would die.
I found the Mother and Father's different actions regarding clothing to be interesting. At the end of Part II, when Gregor leaves his room and his Father begins to attack him, Mrs. Samsa runs toward Gregor's father, shedding clothes all the way, until she reaches him and begs him to spare Gregor's life. Mr. Samsa, on the other hand, is wearing more clothes than he ever had before, wearing and even sleeping in full uniform. If clothes symbolize humanity, then it fits that the mother who was frightened for the sake of her son would be more willing to shed her own humanity and protect him, and the father, who was angry at Gregor and chose to treat him as an animal, donned an extra layer of clothing as protection.
I found that isolation was a prominent theme in the book. With his transformation Gregor's room takes the form of a prison with the door being open only certain hours of the day and the his food being placed infront of him. The removal of his furniture adds to this sense of physical isolation he feels from humanity. Ironically isolation from society is what Gregor longed for in the beginning of the book when he felt overwhelmed by the society's burdens- job and debt. --Adnan Sayed
The transformation from a human to an insect will allow Gregor to find out what is important to him. From the first pages, he begins to question his job and his co-workers and employer. He questions why he is working so hard for this company. He begins to not just live life, but question it. Ashley Gibbs
Another interesting theme in the book would be identity. Although Gregor still retained his consciousness after his physical transformation his inability to communicate with humanity left his identity to be viewed as a bug. Gregor's behaviour may have changed with him eating stale food, climbing on walls and hissing to communicate but he still maintained his humanity through his concern for his families well being. --Adnan Sayed
Gregor's identity changes as his family rejects him in his metamorphosis. He spent his whole life working in order to help his family stay afloat and stay out of debt. Because he can not work, he can not support his family. Because he looks alian, his family is not supporting him. He does not know if he wants to keep the funiture and remain part of the family or have it all removed and accept his new life as an insect. Ashley Gibbs
When Gregor becomes a bug, is it because he lived his life as a bug? Constantly on the move, living like an insect under his boss, and never speaking up for himself. As a bug, Gregor wakes up on his back, unable to move. I believe this symbolizes the vulnerability to others that he had during his life.
Beauty is important, but is it everything? When Gregor is turned into a bug, his family and boss lose respect for him. His death is even regarded as a relief because his family wanted him to leave their house. Its upsetting to see that even in our society, beauty is more important than character. Gregor feels the need to die in order to make his family happy, which it sadly does.
Although Gregor clearly notices that he has transformed into a bug, his biggest concern is still losing his job and not paying off his family's debt. This shows the importance of money in the story and explains why Gregor feels forced to keep his job even though he does not enjoy it. He feels a responsibility to his family.
The fact that Gregor planned to continue out his daily life after his transformation shows that his responsibility to his family was great. Even though he was not able to return to work he still wished that he could help his family and felt guilty because he could not. It seemed as though his family took him for granted as their provider. -Janae King
I dont believe the main point of this book was to describe what happens to a man who turned into a bug. I think it was written to show the reaction of a family who looses their provider and how they dealt with it.. -Janae King
Gregor's relationships with his family members change drastically throughout the story. His once close and loving relationship with his sister fades almost completely towards the end of part two, and he is viewed as more of a chore and responsibility rather than as a member of the family that she cares for. The mother is disgusted by the sight of her "unfortunate son," and the father tries to violently kill Gregor, thus leading the reader to believe that the family no longer accepts Gregor and views him as a total loss of humanity.
I don't like how the story ends. I appreciate Grete's coming-of-age and that the family has all grown from their experiences, but I feel as if their loved one's death comes as an innapropriately huge releif to them. Once he is gone they feel as if they can be happy once more and they reunite as a family. It is depressing that Gregor sacrificed his life as a human and as a vermin to his family and they all view him as a source of burden and repression. They forget that Gregor was ever the kind and supportive brother and son he once was and continued to be without their knowledge. Gregor's transformation causes his relationship with his family to crumble, leaving things so that they rejoice once he is gone. Caroline Mayberry
This story also has another major focus and that would be Gregor's sister. She grows as a young woman through Gregor's transformation. She becomes the controling figure and the prominent decision-making family member for her brother. She controls when he eats, how often his room is clean, and how his living space should look. By the end she shows how exhausted she is with all of it when she confesses that she does not want Gregor there anymore. She got to feel what it was like to be the one responsible for someone else.
I admire Kafka's ability to establish character and relationship in such a limited amount of time. Most authors develop an exposition and thoroughly introduce the style and context of the story, while Kafka jumps right in. There is no previous chapter describing Gregor's relationship with his family. Instead the story begins with Gregor as a vermin. There absolutely is merit in weaving a complex story, but readers may so easily grasp the relationship between this family within the first few pages. Kafka effectively appeals to his readers' pathos, and we begin to sympathize with Gregor in a profound way in an unusually short amount of time.
This is not a happy tale. No doubt about it. Despite the fact that I despise depressing stories, I see the importance of Kafka's main message. Our society is entirely conditioned to judge one another based on appearances, but we deny this inevitable ugly truth. I assume most of us are familiar with the "ugly people with beautiful personalities" and were told, "Don't judge a book by its cover." But how many popular magazines discuss intelligence and personality rather than improving one's outer appearance? How many movies attempt to portray the Beauty and the Beast theme with a rather attracitve Beast character? Beauty sells, beautiful people attract our attention, and outer beauty almost always triumphs over inner beauty. However, Kafka argues even a family can be torn apart by displeasing appearances. I would hope my dad never throws an apple at me in anger, but I see his point.
The fact that Gregor continued physically as a roach, but mentally as a human is strange to me. But what is more important is the strength his family had to have to be able to adapt to such a new lifestyle.
Gregor becomes like a victim once he changed. His metamorphosis burdened his family in ways such that they had to make up for what he could no longer do.
This book deals so much with Gregor struggling to keep his humanity. He looses it in a very obvious way when he turns into a vermin, of course, but even after that he remains mostly "human". He begins to loose his humanity not because of his transformation but because of his isolation and the rejection of his family members. The family members cannot look past Gregor's new exterior, and begin to neglect him. The more he's neglected and the dirtier the family allows his room to become, the more Gregor begins to act like a creature. In the end, he dies of starvation in a filthy, stinking room, but despite that, I feel that just before his death is one of his most "human" moments. Caroline Bagley
What's with the magazine clipping of the woman on the wall? I get the feeling that it is significant - It's mentioned as one of the few items in Gregor's room, he made the frame himself, he tried desperately to protect it when his sister and mother cleaned out his room - but why?? Caroline Bagley
o Gregor's transformation into a disgusted insect really demonstrates the extreme level of self-hatred he has been repressing. I got the impression that he almost excepted this or something like this would happen. I also have feeling that his whole internal monologue about hating his work and boss was already part of this morning routine. These thoughts are so engrained in his mind, even something as dramatic as being a cockroach couldn't snap him out of it. Kafka creates an amazing statement about Gregor's character by opening the story with those few minutes of Gregor's morning.
I didn't fully comprehend how the lodged apple in Gregor's back alluded to Adam and Eve. I understand that the apple as a symbol of death, but what makes Gregor appear as a Christlike figure?
Gregor's transformation forced his family to learn how to make a living for themselves. They took up as many jobs as they could. As time progressed and they no longer needed Gregor's support, they stop caring for him because like April said he was holding them back. In the end Gregor needed to die so that his family could entirely do as they pleased with no worries.
I also think its important to note that Kafka describes the creature Gregor has turned into a verminis pest. This foreshadows how Gregor's family and the public in general will see him; as a blight on their lives and hideous to behold.
It's kind of amazing the way that Gregor's family treated him after his transformation, all while living under the roof HE provided for them after working so hard. He not only paid for their house, but it was also a NICE house for all of them to comfortably inhabit. Even if he wasn't family, the Samsas sure didn't seem to know a thing about showing their gratitude to the man who wasted the younger years of his adult life away trying to help THEM. This all sort of reminded me of certain elderly people who spent their whole lives providing for their family, and when they fall cripplingly ill they are suddenly more of a burden than the family can handle, so the family either waits eagerly for them to pass on or sends them away to be someone else's problem. Sadly for Gregor, he simply seemed to die of absolute emotional neglect.
I have to admit that I got sort of a sick kick out of reading the end of the book, where the author feels inclined to mention Grete's "young" body. It's like he was foreshadowing that she was going to become "a Gregor" in due time. Her youth and beauty will fade slowly - maybe not as suddenly as it did for Gregor - and she would find herself dependent on others to take care of her. Only then will she experience Gregor's pain of seeing his family turn against him and feel relief upon his death. All I could think while reading the last page was, "You're next."
Kafka, being a stellar writer, leaves so much up to the reader to interpret. He doesn't impose his opinion on the reader, but, instead, he provides the reader with a situation, or story, and allows them to develop their own ideas and doesn't heavy-handedly inflict upon them.
How depressing an ending.. The idea that life goes on without us is sad enough, but for poor Gregor, his family goes off to the country, celebrating his death. He had been a dedicated hard-working son, and then for them to go off and do that.. I'm disappointed, Kafka..
Interesting point, Tate. Concerning the topic of death, did anyone else notice how all our summer reading novels ended? Was this just a coincidence? Why did these writers choose to toy with the idea of death so much?
Of all the works we read this summer, this was perhaps my least favorite. Despite being a short novella, I felt that the story itself was quite longwinded. However, as I think about it a bit more, perhaps there was a purpose somewhere in that longwinded-ness. Personally, I find that when I speak my stories only become incredibly long when I'm really not sure what the foreseeable end will be, or when I'm just unsure of why I'm telling the story. In Gregor's case, however, I think his story is long and drawn out because that's just what his life is. He works long hours to support his family, and doesn't see an end in sight. I also think he doesn't necessarily work to support his family because he loves them. I think it's because he feels it is his obligation.
I was really astonished that Gregor's family gave up on him so quickly. I think that Kafka revealing Gregor's mother's, father's, and sister's selfishness served to allow the reader to examine human nature. If one was to develop an understanding of human nature solely because of this book, he would think that humans are neither a) compassionate nor b) grateful. Gregor's sister is certainly the most complex character in this story, despite The Metamorphosis' subject of Gregor. Her transformation is just as clear as Gregor's, though her's is not physical. She matures while Gregor decays, and she is almost the opposite of Gregor. She certainly feels obligated to help her family, but once they believe that Gregor is no longer himself, she abandons him. She was faint of heart before Gregor's transformation, but Gregor did her a favor. She would not have been able to become a strong person had he not changed into a repulsive creature. The Metamorphosis truly exemplifies "you win some, you lose some," in that it sacrifices the main character to allow another character a chance at a place in the world. His sister's personal metamorphosis is evident at the end when she stands up and stretches before leaving home.
Of all the animals, creatures, or just plain things that Kafka could have chosen for Gregor to become, why did he specifically choose the beetle? Why was he so specific to choose a beetle? Why is it so symbolic? Or is it even really symbolic at all? Would the overall story have changed in any way? Would the conclusion been any different? Would his family reacted differently had he not been something so repulsive such as the beetle? Is there any other or deeper importance to his metamorphosis into a beetle?
After finishing the novel, I have to be honest. I don't understand why Kafka wrote the book. I understand that by telling the story of Gregor's metamorphosis the author conveys that either way Gregor is not truly living. He does not live for himself. But still I feel this could have been done in a different manner. I just found that the way that the author did so was dragged out and in the end boring. Is this way Kafka wanted? I am not sure. Did I understand him correctly? or did I miss the point?
I understand that the story never tells us why Gregor has been transformed into a bug. If they would just explain the circumstances to the reader, wouldn’t that make everyone feel more sympathetic to Gregor and not just view him as a huge inconvenience to everyone.
ReplyDeleteAvery Bachus
Once Gregor becomes a bug, why does he never question it? He just wakes up, sees that his body has changed into a “Vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs… many legs, pitifully this compared to the rest of him.” (pg 1)
ReplyDeleteAvery Bachus
I believe that lighting is the most important symbol in the story. Whenever Gregor feels scared or cornered he retreats into the dark corners of the room. Also when he gets up the courage he goes towards the open and the light like when his sister was playing the violin and he began to walk out into the open family rom.
ReplyDeleteAvery Bachus
I think that Kafka used Metamorphosis as a tool for exploring his own feelings of inadequacy. Coming from a middle class working family his father became increasingly wealthy and expected his son to do the same. At a time when men and women were in seperate spheres it was up to the son to provide for his parent's retirement.
ReplyDeleteHowever as an insurance agent in a small firm, accumulating wealth was unlikely. So he constantly was berated by societal expectations from both his father and those around him.
Although music is not prevalent within the story it acts as a catalyst. After Gregor transformed the whole family fell into a bout of depression. However once Grete played the violin (pgs 45-6) the family became awakened as if from a slumber. The father threw the boarders, symbols of societal pressure, out of the apartment signaling the end of their grieving. Afterwords when they came to accept the death of their son, the Samsas realized they were in a better situation. They all had jobs, they could afford a smaller apartment, and Grete had a bright future ahead. Music, like the sunlight in the bus, awakens the family to their fortune, not in money, but in each other.
ReplyDeleteOne of the themes within the novel is the idea of control. Starting with the father he needs to be the head of the family, making decisions and keeping them together. He is the one who attacks Gregor with the cane and apple and who decides that all three of them need jobs.When Gregor was human the family relied on him not only for money but emotional support. However by the end the family takes control of their own lives and come out better for it. Thus people should not expect others to live their lives for them, rather to chart their own course and live for themselves.
ReplyDeleteGregor's thoughts are almost entirely of the need to support his parents and sending his sister to the Conservatory even the circumstances of his transformation are highly absurd. On the other hand, the family takes care of Gregor after his metamorphosis only so far as duty seems to necessitate.
ReplyDeleteBefore Gregor's metamorphosis, he is alienated from his family, his humanity, his job, and even his body, as we see from the fact that he barely notices his transformation. After he goes through his metamorphosis, Gregor feels completely alienated from his room and environment and, as a symbol of this, he is unable to even see his street out the window. Brought on by the modern social order, the Metamorphosis is a powerful indictment of alienation.
ReplyDeleteI find it incredible that Gregor continues worrying about his family's condition regardless of what seems to be their lack of care for him. He constantly overhears conversations about their economic condition and feels responsible for the family's hardship. Grete is the only family member who occupies herself with caring for her brother, while her parents do nothing. I feel that Kafka was trying to explain that family support is crucial for a person in a critical condition, such as Gregor's.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Tondi Resta
After reading the novel, I feel that a theme of the novel is that there is a limit to the amount of sympathy a person receives. As the novel progresses, Gregor's family loses interest in maintaining him. They have become more interested in their own financial problems and find Gregor as a major burden. Kafka shows that a source of great confusion loses sympathy as time progresses, which is Gregor's situation.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Tondi Resta
A reoccurring event I found as interesting in the exposition of the novel is Gregor's constant struggle of choosing between the better of his family versus the betterment of himself. Kafka brilliantly portrays Samsa's struggle by through his varying paragraphs. While one paragraph may state how Gregor feels as though he should stay in bed until he recovers, a following paragraph may lead to distinguish the complications of his previous decision and his desire to serve his family.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what Gregor does, he considers the feelings of others. Even attempting to get out of bed, he considers the noise he would create and bring about the attention of others. Awww, so sweet :)
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ReplyDeleteAn interesting point I have noticed is that the minor characters such as the manager, chief, second servant girl, and 3 tenants, do not have specific names they are referred to. They are named the title they are given by the family and/or Gregor....interesting...was this the author being lazy or was there a purpose to it?
ReplyDeleteGregor chose to put up with a job he clearly dislikes in order to provide for his family; however, once his transformation occurs, he feels guilty for travelling so frequently. This proving an ounce of humanity still exists in his “vaulted brown belly” (Kafka 1). A paradox in my opinion, for what seems to be a selfless act truly is a selfish one. Gregor’s great physical change did occur overnight, but his emotional one did not. His lack of harmony in mind and body stems from the grueling physical change. As the novella progresses, it is evident that Gregor becomes more and more like an animal – almost returning to a feral like state.
ReplyDeleteThe world Kafka writes about is clearly not a normal one. The transformation to a beetle proves supernatural occurrences are present. I could not help but wonder, is his metamorphosis a punishment? This seems highly unlikely due to the narrator describing him as a pleasant son, brother, and employee. With that in mind, the narrator might be withholding information from the reader – meaning the narrator cannot be trusted. When Gregor startled his mother by clinging to the picture of the woman in furs, he was clearly hanging onto the last bit of humanity in him. Now, was the picture significant in that he was sexually attracted to the woman prior to his transformation or did he lust the wealth exhibited by the furs?
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that caught my attention in this story was Gregor's connection to his family and their reaction to his changed state. It is obvious from the descriptions of Gregor's dedication to providing for his parents and sister and his position at work that he is a good yet ordinary person who doesn't really stand out in the world. There was no reason given yet as to why Gregor became a cockroach, and perhaps there is none, yet it happened and the world around him immediately shunned him, viewing him with fear and disgust. I read a shortened version of this book once a long time ago, and a class discussion prompt in the back suggested that the story was a metaphor for a Jew living in Nazi Germany. Considering the story from this viewpoint, everything begins to take on a deeper meaning. Gregor, a good person, has for no particular reason been turned into something disgusting and feared. As his family and friends shun him and hide him from the world, he is so convinced of being different that he slowly begins to lose sight of his humanity.
ReplyDeleteI undertand that the death of Gregor was the final necessity in order for his family to become economically stable and functional, but yet why did he have to die, could they have used him as circus attraction to boost funds which would be possible due to the interest the three tenants found in watching him, or even at the spectacle we found him to be, a huge beetle. I just feel he did not have to die for the story to hold the same meaning of relief from the pressures and stress of being a provider and survival.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd bring back what Avery said up on the top, it is kind of funny that Gregor never seriously wonders why he turned into a bug and doesn't really seek much help to get himself back either. He just "oh, well"s it and tries to go to work anyway. I wonder what it means about his character that he never tries to figure out why he's morphed or how to get himself back in order. He obviously cares about his family and wants to help them, but he doesn't seem to want to help himself.
ReplyDeleteActually Angela I think by focusing on helping his family he in turn helps himself. In that he takes pride in helping his family and providing for them and being the Alpha-male. Even when he wakes up in his new state, all thinks of is to go to work in order to provide, he constantly, throughout his transformation, seeks to help his family any way possible and I do not believe that is for them but more over for his own personal ego and need to feel important in his household.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Avery. I found it interesting, the very first sentence of the story starts by saying,"As Gregor Samsa awoke from unsettling dreams one morning, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin." Nothing more, nothing less-just that simple statement. There was given no reason as to why Gregor was transformed, making the story seem to have no purpose. Backing up the first sentence of the introduction, where it says,"Franz Kafka's fiction doesn't make sense."
ReplyDeleteOk, so I was trying to figure out what Gregor's being turned into a cockroach (assuming that's what he is, Kafka never explicitly says it) symbolized; I mean, why not any other animal or nasty bug? I couldn't really find anything conclusive about what a cockroach actually symbolizes in literature. I thought perhaps a cockroach can symbolize the epitome of self-loathing because it is considered a vile creature. Gregor never seems to demonstrate any self-loathing in the book, in fact he seems proud of his family especially his sister's violin skills. But maybe the self-loathing and malcontent for his life is what's hidden inside and Gregor himself hasn't even seen it. We already know Gregor is not happy at his job and we didn't really see family relations before the transformation so we don't know how the family was doing. ...Or as someone jokingly said being a cockroach could symbolize the ability to never die no matter how hard or how many times you're stepped on (but I don't think that's it).
ReplyDeleteThe entire book revolves around what others may think/how things appear to others. This is a superficial concept, which I think adds insight to another view of the family. For example, Grete never leaves Gregor's window open in case someone may walk by and see the giant insect. Instead of focusing on getting Gregor the help that HE needs, Grete makes the situation revolve around her. What if people saw the insect what would they think of HER? This is the same with the father, as well. He never goes into Gregor's room to see him, and he also guards the sight of the roomers when Gregor steps out of his room. It is as if appearance changed the love they had for their family member all together.
ReplyDeleteThe time "quarter past" or "quarter til" reappears throughout the book. I am still trying to figure out the significance of this number. I know that the number three also reappears throughout the book (i.e. three roomers, three letters, etc.), and when the clock is a quarter past hour, the hand is on the three. However, I cannot find how this relates to Gregor and the story as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI wish this story had more given circumstances. The entire novel began quickly, and the reasons for his metamorphosis were never explained. Is this normal in the society that Kafka has created? Yes, the family members were infuriated, surprised, and disgusted, but their reactions almost made it seem like this has happened before. I know that I would have reacted much differently if one of my family members turned into a bug... If Kafka had given a bit more background on the world in which this story takes place, I would have had a much easier time reading the novel. Instead, I waited the entire book for his metamorphosis to be explained! Maybe this was Kafka's intention?...
ReplyDeleteKafka's use of description and imagery are impeccable in Metamorphosis. He describes emotions of each family member, the exact form in which Gregor has changed, the passing of time, and many other circumstances in great detail. I can see Gregor's room, and watch the story happen as though it were a movie. This kept me enthralled in the novel, but was not enough to satisfy my questions stated in my earlier blog!
ReplyDeleteI laughed out of shock after reading the first sentence. There's no introduction, no explanation, nothing, just "I woke up and found myself transformed into a bug." Wow. I feel like the rest of the book followed that same lack of explanation.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Addison
I did not understand this book nearly as much as I understood the other two. That may be due to the less-than-realistic topic of this book or the lack of explanation I mentioned before, but overall it just did not make sense to me.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Addison
Kafka never descriibed the transformation. He began the novel with Gregor already transformed.Kafka left me with so many unanswered questions. I know hes a vermin and I also know hes not evil or blood sucking, but why a vermin? Why did Gregor starve himself?
ReplyDeleteIts strange that the shortest novel on the list makes the least sense. I had a hard time understanding the point of the book at all. Maybe it was Kafka inner thoughts portrayed on paper
ReplyDeleteAfter Gregor's transformation into a bug, many questions were formed . For example why did Gregor's lack of concern toward himself have more of an effect more than his family seeing him as something hideous and being afraid to even look at him . I find it to be a little bothering that Gregor didn't stop to think about why he actually transformed over night .
ReplyDeleteWould the book be based on how humans go through transformations of some sort durning life ? How possibly our whole life could change due to one event ? Or maybe how as humans we tend to over work ourselves and we forget the world around until we are outcasted ? This book is really confusing in a way but it still seems to be possible to seek a plot
ReplyDeleteI believe the purpose of the Metamorphosis was to demonstrate the human race and their ability to be greedy, selfish, and insensitive. Gregor's family no longer shows interest in his son once they realize he is unable to support them. The on going reference to Gregor as the Breadwinner show Gregor's worth to his family, his suffering means nothing, so they dissociate themselves from Gregor. This is true in today's society as well, people only associate themselves with those who can do something for them, exemplifying the selfishness and greed of society.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't he ever question turning into a bug? He wakes up "monstrous vermin" (1.1) and just thinks about how hard his job is going to get? Or how he'll date?? guy needs to get his priorities straight. And exactly how big is he? -Glenda Monge
ReplyDeleteMS. MELACON IS THAT REALLY HOW IT ENDS!? I swear you always give us the worst books! Well, it seems to me that a repeated theme was the need for control. Before his transformation he controlled the outcome because he supported his family. Afterwards his family falls into a depression, losing even more control of the situation for not thinking of what to do with him instead. They do slowly start taking control back, kinda when Grete and the mother decide to clear his room of the furniture. To me it seemed like the first step into accepting he was bug even if GRegor didn't want to accept it himself. And when the father tells the boarders to leave it's like a giant revilation on the family finally having control of their lives with gregor as a bug. It was still sad though
ReplyDeleteGregor is a bug. Bugs can't talk. The inability to communicate and express his thoughts is a constant battle. I think Kafka wanted to have people empathize with Gregor, since there are times when one cannot expires what one is feeling. One thing that Ms. Melacon pointed out to me is the ambiguity of Gregor's form. Is he actually a bug, or is he just a weirdo thinking he's a bug? Which makes perfect sense because none of the other characters actually acknowledge his bug form.
ReplyDeletePatrick Jones
I find it weird that even after his family sees him as a bug Gregor doesn't really do anything to deny the fact that he has turned into a bug, though the signs are quite clear. He just takes it like he knew it was going to happen and that he deserved it rather than at least trying in some way to turn back into a human. even the family doesn't try to get a witch doctor or something. Strange
ReplyDeleteMick Baker
Gregor was still able to talk. I can't believe how any family would just stop caring about a person that has given so much to them because of a physical change in appearance. Not once did they try to talk to him after they found out he was a bug. Gregor already had no social life and cutting out the las part, his family, would make anyone go insane. Feeling useless and a burden on to someone you love would make me think that he probably killed himself.
ReplyDeleteMick Baker
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Mick's second comment. I didn't understand and disagreed with completely cutting off normal relations with a close family member after he transformed. I also didn't understand why they were so afraid of him... even if he was big and brown. They knew he was still their son. And they celebrate that he died? Nonsense.
ReplyDelete-Michelle Plavnik
I don't get what the metamorphosis (gregor to a bug) means. Is it punishment by society? But for what? Rebellion against society? Also for what? I get the family's not well off, and the isolation after the transformation, but there is a missing link. It could be interpreted in different ways, each making sense on it's own, but we don't really know which one it is.
ReplyDelete-Michelle Plavnik
I liked that the language of the book was descriptive, clear, entertaining, and easy to follow.
ReplyDelete-Michelle Plavnik
I agree with Michelle's second comment. I never understood- I still don't understand the significance of the metamorphosis. What purpose does changing the character into a bug serve?
ReplyDelete--He was trapped in his room. Showing he was trapped in debt to his parents?
--Windows were his only chance for freedom, but he couldn't escaped. Meaning he didn't think he could stop working because he had to support his family?
--When he died, the family was relieved and seemed better off without him. Showing?
I thought it was interesting how in the beginning, Gregor talked about not wanting to be useless. He had to work to make it up to his parents. And he worked very hard. He kept repeating how he cared for his family and he felt guilty he couldn't do anything since he was a bug. Then Gregor's feelings change to where he no longer cared much for his family and he was upset with them when they practically shunned them (which is understandable). But I was shocked that his father and then eventually his mother and sister turn against him, even though he spent a lot of his working to support them. Yeah,he did become useless and he was a bug, but...he was still family.
ReplyDeleteI find it strange how Gregor stays completely calm throughout his transformation in the beginning and even as the first 20 pages progress. Also it is obscure how he only cares about his job even though he is now a "monstrous vermin" (1.1) However, when he finally calms down about his job, he suddenly feels so much regret and tries everything to apologize to his family. If I was transformed into a creepy bug thingy I would not be concerned with my profession nor apologizing to my family.I would try to figure out a way to get out of being a creepy bug thingy.
ReplyDeleteSavannah Perdue
I find it interesting that the change in Gregor is reflected to Grete. The way that Gregor is used by his family for wealth and security so they do not have to. Grete is seen at the end of the novella by her parents as an object to be married off for money.
ReplyDeleteSavannah Perdue
Gregor's transformation was never really explained throughout the entire book. Kafka never revealed why Gregor was changed or what the purpose of him being changed had to do with fitting into the story. I think in the end, the Metamorphosis was less about Gregor and more about the minor characters like Grete and his mother and father. Gregor needed to change in order for the rest of his family to re-evaluate their lives and see how they could deal with the hardship of Gregor's transformation.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading the book, I thought I had the plot line figured out. Gregor was to be transformed and then the family would realize how important he really was to the family and eventually he would return back to his original state, but I was wrong. Gregor's transformation was less about his family realizing his worth, but more about them realizing that they could not depend on him for forever. Gregor was the breadwinner of the family and without him being available to help support the family, they were lost. They didn't know what to do without Gregor, so I think that is what made the family reluctant to let go of his memory and move on. Once the family began to see that they could survive despite Gregor's presence in their life, I think that is when the real metamorphosis took place.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dre in his reasoning behind why he thinks Gregor's transformation into the rodent was necessary. As the center piece to his family's financial success, he found himself helpless while in the body of this hideous creature. All while he was transformed, Gregor focused more on turning back into his old self so that he could continue to support his family instead of taking a moment and reflecting on his previous actions. His superego took the best of him in the entire novel because he focused more on what he knew was right instead of paying attention to what his id told him. He began to reflect on himself and in that process I think he realized that being a little more impulsive and less subservient was what he needed to stand out in his family. His ego needed to be put in perspective which is part of the reason why his metamorphosis was needed.
ReplyDeleteGregor’s metamorphosis is presented in the first sentence of the novel. The narrator does not hesitate to explain Gregor’s situation, but not why and how this happened. I wish the reader were given some background as to how Gregor turned into a bug. All the reader knows is that Gregor,“awoke from unsettling dreams one morning”(Kafka 1). Could the unsettling dreams be the way he is living that caused him to turn into this creature? The narrator presents Gregor’s metamorphosis so naturally, making it seem as though turning into a bug is ordinary and happens often. If I transformed into a bug I would certainly wonder why. I find it strange that Gregor does not question why he is a bug; he just focuses on getting out of bed and to work. The metamorphosis helps Gregor realize how much he is unsatisfied with his life. However, he has a kind heart and is willing to work for his family because he feels as though that is his responsibility. Gregor does not seem to be bothered by his physical state unless it affects his family.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Kelly
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ReplyDeleteHumanity plays a huge role in The Metamorphosis. After Gregor’s metamorphosis, he physically starts to lose his humanity but still remains emotionally and mentally human. His metamorphosis not only changes his physical appearance but also the way he acts and survives. Overtime the family grows apart from Gregor, even Grete who makes an effort to help him. I do not understand why the family is so repulsed by Gregor’s physical state when they know that he is not really an insect. He’s part of the family, just in a different form. I find it strange that his family just completely abandons him when he did not even do anything wrong. I think that is why Gregor holds on to the picture of the woman in furs because it is the only thing he has left linked to his humanity.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Kelly
The family also seems to go through a metamorphosis because before Gregor turned into a bug they were pretty well off; Gregor provided most of the family’s income. As soon as he transformed, the family lost most of their income because Gregor could not work anymore. Throughout most of the story Gregor seems to be resting under the sofa or just waking up from a dream. Chapter 1 and 2 begin with Gregor waking up. I think sleeping is the only hope Gregor has to return to humanity, that he might someday wake up and return back to normal. I think Grete went through metamorphosis as well, even though it was not as drastic and apparent as Gregor’s transformation. Grete was a child in the beginning of the novel and by the end she became a woman. The end of the novel suggests that the family is hopeful for the future and ready to start a better life on their own.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Kelly
Franz Kafka seems to have written The Metamorphosis as a depressed metaphor for life, and it would be interesting to see if his own life paralleled the same sort of sadness that is portrayed in the story.
ReplyDeleteLyndsey Walsh
Also as Gregor becomes more bug-like, Franz Kafka could be saying that as we grow up we embody more of a crueler side of humanity compared to our more blissful childhood selves.
ReplyDeleteLyndsey Walsh
Finished the book and was kinda disappointed. The end was kinda sad, to think that the family had lost interest in their son because he was of now use anymore is depressing. I do think that the disinterest was meant to symbolize how relationships are reciprocal. Once Gregor had stopped providing finically and emotionally to the family, why would/how was the family expected to return their love? I would have liked to see some more appreciation! I mean the man just died! Oh well...
ReplyDeletePatrick Jones
Gregor's transformation seems to have affected his family more than himself. His family depended on Gregor to maintain a stable lifestyle, but as soon as he transformed, the family began to change also and they now see Gregor as useless. I feel more sorry for Gregor than I do for his family.
ReplyDeleteVictor Lopez
While his mother and sister still show some sort of sympathy towards Gregor, they do not really think of many ways to help him. On the other hand, Gregor is constantly worrying about his family and how they will struggle because of him. He obviously cares about his family while they seem to not even consider Gregor as part of the family anymore now that he is not providing money for them.
ReplyDeleteVictor Lopez
I support were Michelle was going, I am still in the beginning of the book but I'm really interested in the isolation theme taht Kafka is bring up. Gregor's mother hints that he was isolated from his friends socially due to his job but now he is physically isolated as well. I cam curious how that isolation will play out for the rest of the book as his communication is limited at best. How will he choose to communicate? Furthermore, how will communication play a role in keeping the foundation of the family together?
ReplyDelete-Megan Eisenberg
The entire book was morbid and daunting from beginning to end. Gregor was alienated and shunned, even though he took care of his entire family. He worked day in and day out to provide them with the type of lifestyle they desired and still, when turned into a bug, he was shunned. I noticed in the beginning of the novel, Gregor's sister's named is not mentioned. She is just referred to as his sister. During this time she is still his loving and caring sister. Soon after however, she begins to be referred to as Grete. This change occurs around the time that Grete begins to become very moody and cantankerous.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important motifs in the novel is metamorphosis. Not only does Gregor go through a physical change, but also a mental and emotional one. He becomes more content with his new body and more distanced from the world and his family. Furthermore Grete, and the family as a whole complete a metamorphosis. Grete transforms into a Woman who begins to think about her future and less about Gregor. The family overcomes its financial problems and with Gregor's death becomes totally rejuvenated and hopeful, both mentally and emotionally.
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ReplyDeleteGregor never fully accepts that he has transformed into a bug. When he wakes up, he still tries to carry out his day normally, as if he is human. He tries to stand up, talk, get ready for work, etc. This proves that his mind isn't connected with his body, yet as Gregor becomes adjusted to his body, he acts more like a bug. This suggests that as the physical appearance of a person changes, the mentality also changes. The mind changes because of the physical change, not vice versa. Nevertheless, there are still certain human traits that remain within his mind. This is seen when Grete and her mother attempt to remove the furniture out of Gregor's room. The insect part of him was happy because he would be able to roam about the room freely without any hindrance, but the human part of him still had an emotional attachment to the items in his room. He now has to choose between the bug side of him and the human side of him. Because Gregor decides to cling to the picture of the woman in the fur and keep the remnant in his room, he chooses the emotional, human side. His mind is still in the human state, while his body is in an insect state. In my opinion, this discord between his mind and body is not allowing him to attain peace and harmony with himself, which in turn leads him to his death.
ReplyDelete-Amber Ferrell
-Amber Ferrell
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ReplyDeleteGregor’s death was foreseen right from the beginning of the book. He transformed into an insect, and from research I have found that most insects that live within a home have a lifespan of only a few months. In addition, he lived directly across the street from a hospital. (Symbolism, maybe?) To me, that is a clear sign of sickness and death. Towards the end of the book, Gregor’s room literally became a storage closet. The fact that he didn’t even have control over his own room symbolizes how he didn’t have control over his life anymore. The clutter kept building and building and I believe that this clutter in his room created a kind of clutter in his mind. It’s possible that the mental clutter kept building up until his mind couldn’t even function anymore resulting in his death.
ReplyDelete-Amber Ferrell
The weather was very interesting to track throughout this book. In the very beginning, Gregor lets the reader know that the weather is “dreary (the raindrops were falling audibly on the metal window ledge)” and it made him melancholy (Kafka 2). The next time Kafka mentions weather it is an “evening twilight” (Kafka 25). Gregor mentions while he is looking out the window that he “was peering out at a featureless wasteland, in which the gray heaven and the gray earth had merged and were indistinguishable” (Kafka 36). Also, the air that comes through the window is often cold. Clearly, the weather had a great influence on the characters, their feelings, and their actions. There was no excitement in the house, just melancholy and solemnity. At the end of the book, however, the weather took a turn for the better; “the fresh air was partly tinged with warmth” (Kafka 70). This is a sign of hope and good things in the future. Even though Gregor just passed, the reader gets a feeling of relief, as if something had just been lifted off of the Samsa’s shoulders. After the Samsas left the apartment for the first time in a while, the car in which they rode “was totally engulfed by the warm sun” (Kafka 73). They now have hopes for a good future.
ReplyDelete-Amber Ferrell
I find it very interesting that the majority of the book can be summed up to watching this family interact with each other. For the majority of the book all the family members (with the exception of Grete) are referred to by their titles. ("praising the efforts of the sister" pg 29, " hes my unfortunate son" pg '29, "The sister rushed to the mother" pg 46). I don't know too much about Kafka's background but I think in a way Kafka is exploring the role of the family through this book. Possibly even mirroring her own family? Any one else have any other thoughts about this?
ReplyDelete-Megan Eisenberg
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ReplyDeleteAdding onto Megan's earlier comment about communication, throughout the novel Gregor's actions start off being somewhat understood, then as the family starts to shun him more, they start to conceive his actions as malicious. Gregor sincerely loved and missed hearing his sister's music, so when he left his room to listen to it and they assumed that he was trying to take over the massive apartment, I was frustrated. I understand that he is a vermin, but he is still apart of their family, and they should know that Gregor would not do something of that nature. It seems as though the Samsa's were looking for reasons to detest Gregor. I was wondering if any of them ever missed the old Gregor since Kafka never mentioned it, and based on how they acted throughout his vermin life and death, it would seem that their relief that he was finally gone overpowered any possible feelings of sadness or remorse.
ReplyDelete*Ayana Owens
My favorite aspect of the book is the point of view. Kafka writes in a way that the reader experiences the physical confusion of being an insect and the mental trauma of being forsaken and misunderstood by your family. Because the perspective mostly remains from the mind of Gregor, it is easier to comprehend the challenges he faces in trying to be understood and treated as family. From the point of view of any other character, feeling sympathy for and having any understanding of Gregor would have been impossible.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we essentially see through the mind of an insect, Gregor's thoughts are entirely human. I thought it was interesting that even though Gregor's basic needs were based off of those of an insect, mentally and emotionally he did not transform whatsoever. If he had changed and become more insect-like as time went on, the transition would have been much easier for him. However, as it was, he had to suffer through thinking like a human but being treated like a bug, making it all the worse.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was clever how Kafka named the protagonist, Gregor Samsa. The Metamorphosis centers on his genetic transformation from human to vermin, and Gregor Mendel is the 'Father of Genetics' in the scientific world. I also noticed that Gregor Samsa was a very caring, loving, and supportive character that was not appreciated by his family when he was still in his human form, and certainly not when he was in his vermin form. He went out of his way to provide for his family, and they never seemed to acknowledge this fact. However, once Gregor was not able to support them anymore and the situations alternated, the Samsa family was very hesitant to take care of Gregor, and certainly did not spend quality time with him. It was quite intriguing and disappointing. I would expect more from a family when one of its members are going through a time of need.
ReplyDelete*Ayana Owens
Avery makes a good point, in the beginning of the story Gregor notices the change in him yet he doesn't question the situation, almost as if he expected it to happen. It leaves the audience wondering is there something missing.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that Gregor didn't seem too freaked out about his changing into a vermin in the beginning. You would think that if a person randomly woke up in the body of a bug he would go insane, but instead, his primary focus was getting to work on time. I think Kafka presented Gregor's character very early, which I liked. The reader already gets a sense of Samsa's determination to provide and care for his family by getting to work on time. Kafka uses the metamorphosis to show that there are much more significant factors going on in the protagonist's life than turning into a hideous creature.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ogundele when he says that not only does Gregor goes through a metamorphosis, but his family does as well. It had me thinking that maybe that is why Gregor transformed. His family was spoiled because of him. They depended on him for everything and never worked themselves. Perhaps the metamorphosis was in fact his saving grace. He was free from work and finally, his family had to change their selfish ways. Although his whole situation was sad, Gregor brought the family together and made them closer in ways they never were before.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Claire. This novella is all about perspective. The reader is able to experience both physical and emotional pain vicariously through Gregor, hatred towards the mother and father, and eventually Grete and sadness and confusion when Gregor finally dies. It would be impossible for the reader to understand Gregor had the novella been written even slightly differently.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to point out the significance of furniture. So much of the novella revolves around the presence and location of various pieces of furniture in Gregor's room and how that furniture either harms or helps him. Starting with the bed, and the struggles Gregor has getting our of the bed because of his condition, I guess you could call it. Then the area under the couch becomes Gregor's sanctuary, as well as the chair that Gregor uses to look out into the world. Gregor's emotional metamorphosis begins when Gregor's mother and sister remove the furniture from Gregor's room. The last part of sanity and safety he could cling to, is taken from his life and with that, his emotional state slowly worsens.
ReplyDeleteUpon Gregor's metamorphosis into a vermin, he lost the ability to communicate. His family lost the ability to be sympathetic. His father immediately is embarrassed by Gregor, as if he has become invalid or done something wrong. His mother was repulsed by Gregor's appearance and his sister, who at one time tried to care for Gregor when his parents wouldn't, became the worst by wanting to force him out of the house. Gregor continues to have faith and compassion for his family. He still greatly loves his sister, portrayed through his appreciation of her music. The novella focuses on the importance of tolerance and compassion, as Gregor's isolated life led him to depression and death.
ReplyDeleteJaclyn Turner
Jessica's idea of furniture is intriguing. The sister thinks that furniture will allow Gregor to move freely throughout the room. Furniture is an aspect of civilization. His mother thinks that the furniture will help Gregor return to his original state of being a human. The furniture holds memories that help Gregor cling to his humanity. The picture frame on the wall alludes to his past life, maybe the photograph of a woman he had an intimate relationship. Gregor wants to be as human as possible. The empty room makes him realize he is considered a low life by his family. Once the breadwinner, now he is a burden.
ReplyDeleteJaclyn Turner
The sadness in the story was overwhelming. Gregor, the once main source of income for this family, was forced to turn the playing field on his them without any type of warning. He became the one that depended on someone else to survive and in the end, gave up his life so he wouldn't be a burden on his family. Throughout the entire story he was always putting his family first, especially in his thoughts, even though they saw him as some type of liability that they couldn't afford.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGregor's acceptance of his sudden transformation into a giant bug is almost as surreal as the transformation itself. Initially, I was confused at Gregor's calm attitude towards his new body, but his desire to continue to provide for his family despite his situtaion helps the reader to sympathize with him when his family turns against him. While I was reading the novella, I had hoped that Grete would provide a little protection for Gregor, which she did by providing food for Gregor, but when she ultimately sided with her mother and father against Gregor, I was shocked. Grete was the only member of the family who could manage to gain entrace into Gregor's room. The relationship between Gregor and Grete in the novella emphasizes Gregor's alienation from his family. Every time Grete appears in Gregor's room, the reader is reminded that Gregor is not wanted as a part of the family since he is forced to hide under the couch during Grete's rushed visit. This also helps the reader to sympathize with Gregor.
ReplyDelete-Alexa Zack
I agree with Jessica that the fruniture in his room reflects Gregor's mental state. While reading the novella I noticed that the picture of the woman on Gregor's wall was mentioned a few times. The fact that he clings to this picture when his mother and sister come to remove the fruniture from his room shows that the picture was important to him, or maybe is was just the only item he had a chance of saving. Either way, Gregor's actions of protecting the picture shows his attempt to save a piece of his sanity and humanity, since every other aspect of his giant bug body completely rejects all aspects of a human being.
ReplyDelete-Alexa Zack
Kafka once wrote, “Metaphors are one among many things which make me despair of writing. Writing's lack of independence of the world, its dependence on the maid who tends the fire, on the cat warming itself by the stove; it is even dependent on the poor old human being warming himself by the stove. All these parables really set out to say merely that the incomprehensible is incomprehensible, and we know that already.”
ReplyDeleteThe opening of The Metamorphosis describes the metamorphosis of a man into a monstrous, verminous bug, but in doing this it appears to achieve still another metamorphosis: it metamorphoses a common figure of speech. It seems as though Kafka's singular point of departure is common language. He allows metaphors to exist in their word. Because Gregor Samsa wishes to live as an artist, one who lives on air, in the eyes of the highly reputable, meticulous world he is a nasty bug. So, in The Metamorphosis he wakes up as a beetle whose who is content to live a life on a ceiling. The Metamorphosis begins in the transformation of a recognizable metaphor into an imaginary being literally existing as this metaphor. The character Gregor Samsa has been transformed into a metaphor that states his essential self, and this metaphor in turn is treated like an actual fact. Samsa does not call himself a cockroach. Instead he wakes up to find himself one. It’s interesting how the title reflects Kafka’s accomplishment as a writer--a metamorphosis of the function of language.
I find it tragic that Gregor spent the entirety of his life as a human working constantly to support his family. His greatest desire was to send his sister to a good school and he took great pride in the spacious and beautiful apartment he provided for his family. However, this selflessness is overlooked by his family after the metamorphosis as they feel increasingly burdened by Gregor's presence. His father begins to behave harshly towards him, the mere sight of him causes his mother to faint, and even Grete, who at first was the only one who would feed him, eventually looses faith in her brother and accuses him of trying to take over the apartment. The family resents Gregor and the apartment he provided for them and thus feel it appropriate to do the bare minimum to care for the person who lived only to support them.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why the book came with no reason why Gregor turned into a bug is because there is no reason for to put it in there. Any explanation for what happened would distract from the point of the novella, which is the Samsa’s family reaction to the transformation.
ReplyDelete- Charlotte Cronley
It’s interesting that while Gregor has changed into a bug his mind remains human. The more he is alienated from society and treated like a animal the more he changes into one.
ReplyDelete- Charlotte Cronely
By the end of "The Metamorphosis," does Gregor show more characteristics of being an insect or human?
ReplyDelete-- Celeste Hankins
Before Gregor became an insect, he brought home the money. After his transformation, his family needed him less and less because they began making their own money to survive. Gregor was forgotten by his family.
ReplyDelete-- Celeste Hankins
I think it's a clever way of writing about how a family would deal with the main breadwinner in the house becoming unable to work, and also on a wider scope, the way a family (and the world at large) reacts to someone who is disabled, or terminally ill. It could also be an analogy for how a family treats a member of the family who is now old and needs to be cared for. The man who is now a beetle, is forced to live in his room, shut away from the world, for fear that he will frighten anyone who enters the house. Gregor, who once provided for the family, and thought of them above himself, became a burden on them. A theme that we can maybe take away from this book is how to cope with change, the ability to provide for yourself when you dont know how, and/or being able to take care of someone that has taken care of you. :) Interesting
ReplyDeleteAs the audience gets to experience Gregor turning over to a primitive way of living, embracing his new nature, there are still indications of Gregor holding on to the past. At first Gregor just wants all of his furniture gone from his room so he can easily crawl around on the ceiling and around the floor. But as his sister and mother started to clear out his room it was as if they were taking away his past life, and he realized that he wasn’t ready to depart with just yet. The picture that Gregor clutches onto (the lady in fur) represents Gregor’s unwilling to face the reality of his new life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started to read Metamorphosis, I realized that Kafka uses very impersonal names for everyone besides Gregor (sister, mother, father, Mr. Manager, etc.). Then as Gregor understood that his sister was trying to come to terms of Gregor’s predicament, did the author start addressing her as Grete and continued this pattern with the change of mother and father to Mr. and Mrs. Samsa. I believe Kafka incorporated the name change when each character showed progression. When Grete was known as sister, she came off as a weak little girl who had not had to work a day in her life, but when the author started using her real name did she finally face the fact that Gregor had changed and tried to help him. Then the parents name switch occurred when they accepted their son’s death and tried to move forward by focusing on Grete’s future instead of Gregor’s passing.
ReplyDeleteGregor's unhappiness with his life before his transformation was shown to spread to his family because while he supported them, he was actually holding them back. Once he ceased being the breadwinner, his family had to fend for themselves and it made them better people so while the metamorhosis harmed Gregor, it actually changed his family for the better.
ReplyDeleteThis is the only book that I think deserves an informal response:
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book my response is.....REALY? DID I REALY JUST READ THAT!!!!, My first reaction to all of this was annoyance and frustration, because I know this is a "world renown classic", but I feel like I didn't connect with it what so ever. I feel stuck. I have to be missing some thing. And I'm fully willing to say that I'm probably not thinking hard enough. However, this book is about a boy who wakes up one day and is a cockroach....? Obviously I have to think harder, and after reading a lot of the posts above It's easier to look at this book a little deeper. I did realize some of the ideas above myself, while reading the novella, but even then I still feel like the book is sort of pointless in a way. (No, Im sure it has a point...) It might be due to the brevity but still, there are many short stories that have more of an impact on me and are half the length. The only thing that really impacted me in this novel, was the nonchalantness of the whole story. How laid back was Gregor when he woke up on his back with little tiny legs, learning how to turn over and walk ....? How "o.k." is the family with living with their son as a giant insect that lives under the couch? Why don't they try to fix it instead of just living with it? Its not like its going away any time soon! And then after all this "living with it" how easy is it for Gegors parents to jump on the bandwagon and agree with Greta to "get rid" and basically kick Gregor out of the house and leave him to die after all he tried to do for them. I just find it hard to believe.
Does anyone else find this story a little ridiculous? I just don't know what to get out of it......(I'm going to think about it some more)
-Mariah Pepper Berkowitz
So after thinking for about an hour, I came to the conclusion that the answer is in the title. "Metamorphosis". Obviously means changing or, transforming. Which Gregor literally does, but in this case, I don't believe that Gregor is the main character. I believe Greta is the main character because she is the one who experiences the most Change, the most "Metamorphosis". Kafka describes Gregor's sister in the beginning with hushed tones and care even in the first words she utters, trying to help out Gregor by informing him that the Chief was outside. She cleans his room, feeds him everyday, and tries to make him as comfortable and happy as she can. But in complete irony she is the one who basically kills him or at least causes his death. She changes into a greedy loud insect, like a cockroach, like her brother. But in even more irony, Gregor is the most generous cockroach I have ever seen. He hides himself so that his family wont have to look at him. He crawls under a couch and stays locked in a room by is own family. He doesn't change, he walks in the end to spare his family, he doesn't want to be a burden any more. It his family who cant put up with him any more. And it is they who changed. And they are the title.
ReplyDelete-Mariah Pepper Berkwoitz
The biggest problem I had while reading this book was understanding the symbolism. I knew that it was there, but I couldn’t figure it out by myself. His being a cockroach was clearly not meant to just be taken at face value. It was representative of something else. That’s what really makes the book what it is and I was upset that I was having so much of a struggle with it. I thought maybe it was just simply symbolic of him becoming extremely ill and seeming disgusting and useless to his family because of his condition. But at the same time I felt it had to be something more. I’m sure once we start talking about its meaning on Monday, I’ll truly be able to appreciate the book.
ReplyDelete--Bailey Moran
Following what Mariah said, I think Greta really did make a huge transformation. She cared for him while the rest of her family moped around complaining about the situation. Her mother was too scared to even look at him, when she was supposed to love her son. Greta was the one that cried when she first found out about Gregor’s transformation and by the end she made the decision to get rid of her brother, standing above not only Gregor but her father, the traditional head of the family. She also got a job and although it was difficult for her parents who were considered too old to get jobs, she was only seventeen and did her work all day and still had time to feed Gregor as well as practice her violin. She dominated as becoming the truly important character as Gregor slowly moved into the shadows, in more ways than one.
ReplyDelete--Bailey Moran
I was looking back and noticed Nichelle’s comment about alienation. I agree with that too. I think what was interesting that she didn’t point out was that he was originally a travelling salesman. He got the opportunity to move wherever he pleased and do work that supported his family and helped him feel accomplished. That was his life. And after the transformation, he was confined to his room, he left his family having to work, and was unable to even feed himself. It was a total change from what he had become used to. The alienation was important too, because when he had once been able to go wherever he wanted, he now was confined to his room like a prisoner, being given meals from his sister and having to hide from his own family for fear that they would be disgusted by his appearance. That’s further alienation than one could ever imagine.
ReplyDelete--Bailey Moran
i found it interesting how Kafka illustrates Gregor's transformation. He takes a lot of time describing the flailing legs and hard stomach but never states he is a bug. I enjoyed the creation of the image of the new Gregor through the first chapter. Also, Kafka doesn't say Metamorphosis until page 28.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the main motifs in this book were the windows and the doors. In the beginning the doors almost represented the voices behind them. They were the compressing walls that represented the stress placed on him by his family. Soon the rooms behind the doors became dangerous and Gregor had no control over their opening and closing. At times they were even his views in to the new, unfamiliar world of his family that he was now isolated from. However the windows became his hope and freedom. After his death " The cleaning women shut the door and opened the window wide."pg 52 Then the room became bright and surrounded Gregor in light like a Christ figure.
ReplyDeleteIts seems like Gregor worked for his family like an ant would work for a queen ant which could be the reason Kafka made Gregor's character turn into a bug like creature.
ReplyDeleteAs Gregor becomes more dependent on his family his family seems to become more independent by getting jobs and going through their own metamorphosis.
ReplyDeleteGregor's father's reaction to the change was to at first ignore his son. However, he grew to think of his son as a monster believing that no part of his son's spirit remained in the insect. This anger is demonstarted in his violence towards Gregor. The rest of the family soon adopted this mentality and began to wish that the creature would die.
ReplyDeleteI found the Mother and Father's different actions regarding clothing to be interesting. At the end of Part II, when Gregor leaves his room and his Father begins to attack him, Mrs. Samsa runs toward Gregor's father, shedding clothes all the way, until she reaches him and begs him to spare Gregor's life. Mr. Samsa, on the other hand, is wearing more clothes than he ever had before, wearing and even sleeping in full uniform. If clothes symbolize humanity, then it fits that the mother who was frightened for the sake of her son would be more willing to shed her own humanity and protect him, and the father, who was angry at Gregor and chose to treat him as an animal, donned an extra layer of clothing as protection.
ReplyDeleteI found that isolation was a prominent theme in the book. With his transformation Gregor's room takes the form of a prison with the door being open only certain hours of the day and the his food being placed infront of him. The removal of his furniture adds to this sense of physical isolation he feels from humanity. Ironically isolation from society is what Gregor longed for in the beginning of the book when he felt overwhelmed by the society's burdens- job and debt.
ReplyDelete--Adnan Sayed
The transformation from a human to an insect will allow Gregor to find out what is important to him. From the first pages, he begins to question his job and his co-workers and employer. He questions why he is working so hard for this company. He begins to not just live life, but question it.
ReplyDeleteAshley Gibbs
Another interesting theme in the book would be identity. Although Gregor still retained his consciousness after his physical transformation his inability to communicate with humanity left his identity to be viewed as a bug. Gregor's behaviour may have changed with him eating stale food, climbing on walls and hissing to communicate but he still maintained his humanity through his concern for his families well being.
ReplyDelete--Adnan Sayed
Gregor's identity changes as his family rejects him in his metamorphosis. He spent his whole life working in order to help his family stay afloat and stay out of debt. Because he can not work, he can not support his family. Because he looks alian, his family is not supporting him. He does not know if he wants to keep the funiture and remain part of the family or have it all removed and accept his new life as an insect.
ReplyDeleteAshley Gibbs
When Gregor becomes a bug, is it because he lived his life as a bug? Constantly on the move, living like an insect under his boss, and never speaking up for himself. As a bug, Gregor wakes up on his back, unable to move. I believe this symbolizes the vulnerability to others that he had during his life.
ReplyDeleteBeauty is important, but is it everything? When Gregor is turned into a bug, his family and boss lose respect for him. His death is even regarded as a relief because his family wanted him to leave their house. Its upsetting to see that even in our society, beauty is more important than character. Gregor feels the need to die in order to make his family happy, which it sadly does.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Gregor clearly notices that he has transformed into a bug, his biggest concern is still losing his job and not paying off his family's debt. This shows the importance of money in the story and explains why Gregor feels forced to keep his job even though he does not enjoy it. He feels a responsibility to his family.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Gregor planned to continue out his daily life after his transformation shows that his responsibility to his family was great. Even though he was not able to return to work he still wished that he could help his family and felt guilty because he could not. It seemed as though his family took him for granted as their provider. -Janae King
ReplyDeleteI dont believe the main point of this book was to describe what happens to a man who turned into a bug. I think it was written to show the reaction of a family who looses their provider and how they dealt with it.. -Janae King
ReplyDeleteGregor's relationships with his family members change drastically throughout the story. His once close and loving relationship with his sister fades almost completely towards the end of part two, and he is viewed as more of a chore and responsibility rather than as a member of the family that she cares for. The mother is disgusted by the sight of her "unfortunate son," and the father tries to violently kill Gregor, thus leading the reader to believe that the family no longer accepts Gregor and views him as a total loss of humanity.
ReplyDeleteI don't like how the story ends. I appreciate Grete's coming-of-age and that the family has all grown from their experiences, but I feel as if their loved one's death comes as an innapropriately huge releif to them. Once he is gone they feel as if they can be happy once more and they reunite as a family. It is depressing that Gregor sacrificed his life as a human and as a vermin to his family and they all view him as a source of burden and repression. They forget that Gregor was ever the kind and supportive brother and son he once was and continued to be without their knowledge. Gregor's transformation causes his relationship with his family to crumble, leaving things so that they rejoice once he is gone.
ReplyDeleteCaroline Mayberry
This story also has another major focus and that would be Gregor's sister. She grows as a young woman through Gregor's transformation. She becomes the controling figure and the prominent decision-making family member for her brother. She controls when he eats, how often his room is clean, and how his living space should look. By the end she shows how exhausted she is with all of it when she confesses that she does not want Gregor there anymore. She got to feel what it was like to be the one responsible for someone else.
ReplyDeleteI admire Kafka's ability to establish character and relationship in such a limited amount of time. Most authors develop an exposition and thoroughly introduce the style and context of the story, while Kafka jumps right in. There is no previous chapter describing Gregor's relationship with his family. Instead the story begins with Gregor as a vermin. There absolutely is merit in weaving a complex story, but readers may so easily grasp the relationship between this family within the first few pages. Kafka effectively appeals to his readers' pathos, and we begin to sympathize with Gregor in a profound way in an unusually short amount of time.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a happy tale. No doubt about it. Despite the fact that I despise depressing stories, I see the importance of Kafka's main message. Our society is entirely conditioned to judge one another based on appearances, but we deny this inevitable ugly truth. I assume most of us are familiar with the "ugly people with beautiful personalities" and were told, "Don't judge a book by its cover." But how many popular magazines discuss intelligence and personality rather than improving one's outer appearance? How many movies attempt to portray the Beauty and the Beast theme with a rather attracitve Beast character? Beauty sells, beautiful people attract our attention, and outer beauty almost always triumphs over inner beauty. However, Kafka argues even a family can be torn apart by displeasing appearances. I would hope my dad never throws an apple at me in anger, but I see his point.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Gregor continued physically as a roach, but mentally as a human is strange to me. But what is more important is the strength his family had to have to be able to adapt to such a new lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteGregor becomes like a victim once he changed. His metamorphosis burdened his family in ways such that they had to make up for what he could no longer do.
ReplyDeleteThis book deals so much with Gregor struggling to keep his humanity. He looses it in a very obvious way when he turns into a vermin, of course, but even after that he remains mostly "human".
ReplyDeleteHe begins to loose his humanity not because of his transformation but because of his isolation and the rejection of his family members. The family members cannot look past Gregor's new exterior, and begin to neglect him. The more he's neglected and the dirtier the family allows his room to become, the more Gregor begins to act like a creature.
In the end, he dies of starvation in a filthy, stinking room, but despite that, I feel that just before his death is one of his most "human" moments.
Caroline Bagley
What's with the magazine clipping of the woman on the wall?
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that it is significant - It's mentioned as one of the few items in Gregor's room, he made the frame himself, he tried desperately to protect it when his sister and mother cleaned out his room - but why??
Caroline Bagley
o Gregor's transformation into a disgusted insect really demonstrates the extreme level of self-hatred he has been repressing. I got the impression that he almost excepted this or something like this would happen. I also have feeling that his whole internal monologue about hating his work and boss was already part of this morning routine. These thoughts are so engrained in his mind, even something as dramatic as being a cockroach couldn't snap him out of it. Kafka creates an amazing statement about Gregor's character by opening the story with those few minutes of Gregor's morning.
ReplyDeleteI didn't fully comprehend how the lodged apple in Gregor's back alluded to Adam and Eve. I understand that the apple as a symbol of death, but what makes Gregor appear as a Christlike figure?
ReplyDeleteGregor's transformation forced his family to learn how to make a living for themselves. They took up as many jobs as they could. As time progressed and they no longer needed Gregor's support, they stop caring for him because like April said he was holding them back. In the end Gregor needed to die so that his family could entirely do as they pleased with no worries.
ReplyDeleteI also think its important to note that Kafka describes the creature Gregor has turned into a verminis pest. This foreshadows how Gregor's family and the public in general will see him; as a blight on their lives and hideous to behold.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of amazing the way that Gregor's family treated him after his transformation, all while living under the roof HE provided for them after working so hard. He not only paid for their house, but it was also a NICE house for all of them to comfortably inhabit. Even if he wasn't family, the Samsas sure didn't seem to know a thing about showing their gratitude to the man who wasted the younger years of his adult life away trying to help THEM. This all sort of reminded me of certain elderly people who spent their whole lives providing for their family, and when they fall cripplingly ill they are suddenly more of a burden than the family can handle, so the family either waits eagerly for them to pass on or sends them away to be someone else's problem. Sadly for Gregor, he simply seemed to die of absolute emotional neglect.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Hawkins
I have to admit that I got sort of a sick kick out of reading the end of the book, where the author feels inclined to mention Grete's "young" body. It's like he was foreshadowing that she was going to become "a Gregor" in due time. Her youth and beauty will fade slowly - maybe not as suddenly as it did for Gregor - and she would find herself dependent on others to take care of her. Only then will she experience Gregor's pain of seeing his family turn against him and feel relief upon his death. All I could think while reading the last page was, "You're next."
ReplyDeleteDanielle Hawkins
Kafka, being a stellar writer, leaves so much up to the reader to interpret. He doesn't impose his opinion on the reader, but, instead, he provides the reader with a situation, or story, and allows them to develop their own ideas and doesn't heavy-handedly inflict upon them.
ReplyDeleteHow depressing an ending.. The idea that life goes on without us is sad enough, but for poor Gregor, his family goes off to the country, celebrating his death. He had been a dedicated hard-working son, and then for them to go off and do that.. I'm disappointed, Kafka..
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, Tate. Concerning the topic of death, did anyone else notice how all our summer reading novels ended? Was this just a coincidence? Why did these writers choose to toy with the idea of death so much?
ReplyDeleteOf all the works we read this summer, this was perhaps my least favorite. Despite being a short novella, I felt that the story itself was quite longwinded. However, as I think about it a bit more, perhaps there was a purpose somewhere in that longwinded-ness. Personally, I find that when I speak my stories only become incredibly long when I'm really not sure what the foreseeable end will be, or when I'm just unsure of why I'm telling the story. In Gregor's case, however, I think his story is long and drawn out because that's just what his life is. He works long hours to support his family, and doesn't see an end in sight. I also think he doesn't necessarily work to support his family because he loves them. I think it's because he feels it is his obligation.
ReplyDeleteLeighton Rowell
I was really astonished that Gregor's family gave up on him so quickly. I think that Kafka revealing Gregor's mother's, father's, and sister's selfishness served to allow the reader to examine human nature. If one was to develop an understanding of human nature solely because of this book, he would think that humans are neither a) compassionate nor b) grateful. Gregor's sister is certainly the most complex character in this story, despite The Metamorphosis' subject of Gregor. Her transformation is just as clear as Gregor's, though her's is not physical. She matures while Gregor decays, and she is almost the opposite of Gregor. She certainly feels obligated to help her family, but once they believe that Gregor is no longer himself, she abandons him. She was faint of heart before Gregor's transformation, but Gregor did her a favor. She would not have been able to become a strong person had he not changed into a repulsive creature. The Metamorphosis truly exemplifies "you win some, you lose some," in that it sacrifices the main character to allow another character a chance at a place in the world. His sister's personal metamorphosis is evident at the end when she stands up and stretches before leaving home.
ReplyDeleteLeighton Rowell
Of all the animals, creatures, or just plain things that Kafka could have chosen for Gregor to become, why did he specifically choose the beetle? Why was he so specific to choose a beetle? Why is it so symbolic? Or is it even really symbolic at all? Would the overall story have changed in any way? Would the conclusion been any different? Would his family reacted differently had he not been something so repulsive such as the beetle? Is there any other or deeper importance to his metamorphosis into a beetle?
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing the novel, I have to be honest. I don't understand why Kafka wrote the book. I understand that by telling the story of Gregor's metamorphosis the author conveys that either way Gregor is not truly living. He does not live for himself. But still I feel this could have been done in a different manner. I just found that the way that the author did so was dragged out and in the end boring. Is this way Kafka wanted? I am not sure. Did I understand him correctly? or did I miss the point?
ReplyDelete