Perception Vs. Reality In James Kafka's The Metamorphosis

Here Gregor is contemplating the impracticality of missing work, while completely ignoring the fact that he turned into a vermin. Gregor’s ignorance to his own personal problems highlights his dedication to pay off his family 's debts (pg 9), at the expense of his wellness. The overcast weather and the mention of his depressed mood creates a pessimistic mood which would feed into Gregor’s already gloomy outlook on life. His want to sleep and forget his problems shows a pressure that Gregor must always be under. His hardworking attitude doesn’t match up to his willingness to ignore his problems. The weight of working his parents ' debt off, must be constant and heavy enough for him to ignore his own responsibility for a few seconds of contemplation, even if he had shaken the thought off. He is so involved and alienated in his job and duty to his family, that his surroundings and

Gregor’s initial reaction to his transformation shows his preoccupation with work. His confusion over his radical transformation does not last long, quickly becoming concerned with work and disregarding that he woke up physically transformed into a monstrous vermin. Immediately after realizing he had transformed, Gregor explains, “Well, I haven’t given up hope completely; once I’ve gotten the money together to pay off my parents’ debt to [the boss] that will probably take another five to six years… But for the time being I’d better get up, since my train leaves at five” (4). The quick transition of Gregor’s thoughts from the initial shock to his economic duties reveals his ironic nonchalant attitude towards his nonsensical transformation and

Before Gregor’s metamorphosis his family treats with moderate respect, for they make sure he is always following his schedule and is never late for work. Gregor before his metamorphosis is seen as an asset to his family, for he provides another source of income for them, a better opportunity to life comfortably. However, along with this sense of comfort his family also treats him rather distant from a son, and a brother. Gregor in a sense is treated like a tenant in his own home; his parents never enter his room, only reminding him of waking, eating and leaving. This emphasizes the strained relationship between Gregor and his family. However, after his metamorphosis his family treats him more so like a burden, for Gregor no longer provides

He tries to keep himself separated from his family and others, but that fails after a while. His family cannot take the sight of what he has become, except for his sister who becomes the one to look after him. In the story, Gregor’s family feels that he cannot communicate with them, but he still can understand everything they are saying. So, they lock him inside of his room away from the world. Gregor’s mother and father feel that Gregor will eventually get better, and turn back normal. But, it is his sister Greta that implies that they should get rid of the furniture in his room. She starts to feel that she does not recognize her brother anymore. Gregor tries numerous times to get his families attention so, they could maybe try to understand more what was happening to him. With every attempt, he tried he failed and was injured by his father in the process. Which caused him to stop eating and drinking water. The Last attempt to get his families attention, he ran off the tenants that rented out the room. His sister insisted on getting rid of him in her eyes, he was causing the family to be held back from greater things and was being a burden for the family as well. The last moments of his life he tried to crawl back into his room, but his body was lifeless he had no energy to go anywhere. He finally took his last breath and laid there and died. His family felt sad at the same time it was a sense of relief for the

As the main character, Gregor Samsa, transforms from human state to that of a beetle, there are many aspects that are left unexplained and seemingly unstable. For example, in the novel, Gregor’s transformation into a beetle is left unexplained by Kafka. Kafka opens up the novel by stating, “When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 1). There is no scientific or physical evidence as to why this transformation occurred, but it can be ascertained that it is a psychological transformation. Another aspect of the novel left unexplained by the author is that of the pain that Gregor feels. Kafka includes the pain that Samsa feels at particular parts of the novel, but also the pain seems to be

The narrator said, “During the first fortnight, Gregor’s parents could not bring themselves to enter his room…” He has been disconnected from his family to the point where they’re emotionally unstable and unable to treat him as he deserves with affection and comfort to help him cope with his metamorphosis. The narrator shows this disconnection before the mutation,”Gregor later earned so much money that he was in a position to cover the expenses for the entire family…” He later described the exchange not “particularly warm”. Gregor feels alienated by his parents because of the lack of affection for him providing for them. This change has long since happened but is in full affect more than ever since the transmutation.

In what environments and situations will dehumanize people significantly? Elie Wiesel’s novel Night and Franz Kafka’s novel Metamorphosis contain many similar topics and views. In Night, Elie and other people in the concentration camps are dehumanized by the cruel German soldiers and their policies towards the Jews, while, in Metamorphosis, Gregor is dehumanized by the situation that he turns into an insect at first, and then he continues being dehumanized by his family, other people, and himself. Changes can serve as motivations which eventually lead to dehumanization as shown through affection, self-awareness, and indifference.

Gregor’s isolation and loneliness begins to toy with his composure, he becomes unpredictable and frightening to his family. Although, Gregor’s slow transformation from man to bug eventually becomes beneficial to Gregor. For instance, Gregor’s bug-like appearance allows him to be released from his family's high expectations. As for his developing bug-like qualities helps him to register his inner anger he feels towards his father. Gregor now realizes his father shows no sympathy towards Gregor and instead punishes him for something he has no control over. Gregor began to resent his father for throwing household items at him, squashing him like a bug. Even his beloved sister Grete began irritating Gregor by removing all of his belonging from his room, leaving him with nothing. The cruelty performed on Gregor by his own family sends him into a dark pit of despair. With nothing to live for he began to slowly end his life, making one final sacrifice for the ones he loves

Franz Kafka is a German novelist who wrote “The Metamorphosis.” In the story, he uses a third person point of view narrative. The novel uses absurdum, which exaggerates and dramatize the absurdity of modern life. The protagonist, Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, struggles with an external factor of transforming into an insect like creature. The transformation was not under his control and now struggles with a new identity. Once the sole provider for his family, he now becomes a burden. Internally, he is the same Gregor Samsa, but his physical appearance causes his family to alienate and mistreat him. The use of dehumanization is prevalent in the novel causing the protagonist to suffer with symptoms of depression. He is unable to be a positive contributor in society or for his family. The use of symbolism in the novel displays his isolation and humanity. The central conflict is resolved when his sister Grete, initially empathetic, comes to a realization that

The rejection of Gregor by his family is evident throughout the whole story. The first time it happens is before anyone has even seen his new form. A detail in the story says, "In the room on his right there followed a painful silence; in the room on his left his sister began to cry." (Page 5) This hurricane of emotion was solely based on how Gregor had not gone to work that morning. Additionally, the only reason why Gregor did not go to work that morning was because he had gone through a metamorphosis into a vermin and had trouble going through his normal routine. He could hardly manage to get out of bed, much less go out to work. This causes the rest of the Samsa family to begin developing negative emotions towards Gregor. The family 's rejection of Gregor continues throughout, and an example of this is after the first time Gregor got out of his room. "Then his father gave him a hefty shove from

There are hundreds of works of literature out in the world, many of them are great, and some are not as great. What makes them great is the truth behind them, the true feelings, and what it truly meant to the author. Many great works of literature are influenced by several different things, in the case of “The Metamorphosis”, it was influenced by the life of Franz Kafka, the author, and his real- life experiences. The Freudian concept help explain why “The Metamorphosis” contains symbols and clues that can be used to compare certain relationships throughout Kafka’s life, one being with his father, and the other with woman who entered his life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” “In a Good Man is Hard To Find” the Grandmother expresses herself as a lady of upmost standards. In actuality she lives as a Grandmother from the old South whose mouth runs on its own. The Metamorphosis includes Gregor a self-proclaimed family man who tries to take on most of the responsibilities. His way of living seems great for everyone, but at the same time does not seem necessary. In A Good Man is Hard to Find” and The Metamorphosis, The Grandmother and Gregor despite being completely different, also share very similar qualities. They differ in values but in the same way they are irresponsible and nuisances to

Neither Kafka nor Gregor followed the existentialist idea of freedom of choice in a person’s life. They both had a life they didn’t ask for and responsibilities they were forced to assume. This principle of lack of freedom is clearly shown by the unexpected transformation of Gregor, waking up as an insect and obtaining the freedom he lacked, emancipating himself of obligations, injustice and final duties. He is freed from the obligation to work to maintain his family and liberated himself from his tyrannical father. Although he turned into a horrible insect, the metamorphosis did not change the beauty of his soul.

Almost from the very beginning of Gregor’s metamorphosis, Mr. Samsa has been unwilling to accept Gregor as his son. Furthermore, Gregor’s transformation into an offensive form of an insect, constantly reminds Mr. Samsa of the grotesque, feeble, and pathetic aberration that he has fathered. Consequently, now that Gregor has genuinely revealed himself in all his audacious behavior, his cruel father is driven to destroy him. In his eyes, Gregor has become everything loathsome to him—scrawny, parasitic, and futile—not the kind of son this once successful and ambitious storekeeper could be proud of. Hence, as Mr. Samsa returns to his house in a position of strength and authority, he unfortunately witnesses the sight of his stricken wife down

Through the help of the other characters in the novel, Gregor’s metamorphosis becomes more vivid and the change in perspective provides insight that would not have been apparent without the various perspectives. The exclamations are as follows, “’Did you understand a word?’ the manager was asking his parents. […] ‘Go to the doctor’s immediately. Gregor is sick. Hurry, get the doctor. Did you just hear Gregor talking?’ ‘That was a voice of an animal’” (12). Through Gregor’s perspective, one may assume that his response to his manager was heard loud and clear and the only modification to his identity is the physical change he has undergone which highlights the importance of Kafka’s change in perspective. Although Gregor believes himself to be in control of the situation, the third person narration as well as the other character’s remarks reveal quite the opposite. Kafka’s narration style provides different perspectives of the same situation in order to reveal how one may misinterpret the actions of others if the perspective comes from an external viewpoint. The variety in the narrative is essential to the development of Gregor’s character because through the eyes of the other characters his metamorphosis becomes undeniable and ultimately forces Gregor to conform to his new identity due to the way he is treated by his