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Mrs. Samsa In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

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In Metamorphosis, Mrs. Samsa appears a few times but never grows throughout the text, making her a flat character. Gregor’s mother is the average concerned mother and doesn’t have the strength to see her son. Every time she gets a glimpse of her son, she drops to the floor and faints. There is one time where she viewed Gregor and didn’t pass out: when she steps in to rescue Gregor from his father’s rage. Mrs. Samsa didn’t grow throughout the text; however, her behavior causes her husband to calm down and allows Gregor to live.

C) FOIL
Grete, Gregor’s sister, acts as a foil to Gregor throughout the novel. Their relationships suggest that they are constantly battling for the status of “favorite offspring.” As Gregor’s role in the family declines after his transformation, Grete begins to rise. Others want to separate themselves from Gregor because of his scary looks. However, in regard to Grete, people enjoy her company and encourage her maturity. Lastly, while Gregor fails to find a spouse throughout …show more content…

Throughout the novella, Franz Kafka repeatedly writes about the concern for money in the Samsa family. Money is constantly on the top of Gregor’s mind and is a common topic of discussion in the Samsa family. Gregor took a job as a salesman; from there on, money became the focal point of his life. However, after his transformation, he can no longer provide income for his family, which causes them to separate from him. He also obstructs his family from making money when he sneaks into the boarders’ room. In Part II, when Gregor eavesdrops on his family’s conversation regarding their financial situation, “he had bent all his endeavors to helping the family get over the commercial catastrophe, which had plunged them all into complete despair” (112). This text shows how Gregor still feels responsible as the family’s only source of income. However, his incapability to provide an income leaves him in total “shame and

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