12/14/2023 0 Comments Kafka franz metamorphosisIt should be noted that such a perspective on society might be perceived as obsolete nowadays, but, arguably, it is not, e.g., if we start looking at humanity more globally. So, “The Metamorphosis” also shows us this division in the society, where laborers are forced to slave away to make their living, and they are perceived by the bourgeois solely as performers of their functions, being in all the other aspects dirty and unworthy creatures that also turn into hazardous deviants once they stop working and start doing something else. It is worth noting that the representatives of the higher class commonly perceive themselves as worthy and people who only get what they naturally deserve, whereas the representatives of the working class realize that if they stop working, they and their relatives will have nothing to eat. It can also be said that Kafka’s story shows us the two parts of the society the first part works, the other one harvests the result of their labor. The family only looks for Gregor because they do not know where they could otherwise put him. The connection between the protagonist and his relatives is mainly economic once the monetary part disappears, the whole relationship is broken. They write that “the bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation” (Marx and Engels 62). Interestingly, the writings of Marx and Engels can add to the understanding of the relationships between Gregor and his family. Interestingly, the roles of Gregor Samsa and his relatives instantly switch they could be definitely called parasites before the metamorphosis, but after it, they start thinking of their son as one. But the transformation allows him to stop doing the job he disliked so much at last. He became a creature alien and incomprehensible even to himself the original version of the text does not also indicate what type of an insect Gregor becomes (Gooderham par. This indicates the degree of self-alienation that the protagonist underwent (Hill 161 Sokel 486-487). This attempt is not conscious because Gregor is so confident about his duties that he does not even seem to care about his new form. The whole story of Gregor’s transformation might be interpreted as the protagonists’ attempt to escape the unfair responsibility the weight of which he had to carry solely on his shoulders. It becomes clear now that the family was parasitizing on their son all that time. The father finds himself quite capable of working moreover, it turns out that he has been setting aside money from what Gregor was earning for them. They stop visiting him and contacting him altogether only Greta plays the role of a (policewoman?) mediator and brings him food and drink.Īnd then, it becomes clear that the family could look after themselves without Gregor’s working for them after all. Gregor’s family now perceive him as a parasite who needs to be looked after. They now fear him, find him revolting, and, at the same time, blame him for not being able to work and support them anymore. They quickly forget all the good that Gregor did for them before the metamorphosis and lock him in his room. And at this point, his family starts feeling disgusted with him. The protagonist’s transformation is simultaneous with his loss of ability to earn money. When Gregor turns into the creature, he does not care about that in the slightest on the other hand, he cannot reconcile himself with the fact that he will miss his train and will not be able to reach his work that day. In fact, he perceives the obligation of earning money for the family as his natural duty, for who else, if not him, would care for his relatives? Who else, if not him, would make sure that his sister, Greta, gets proper education and realizes herself? It appears that the protagonist believes in some kind of a natural social hierarchy, in which he has the place where he must serve his family and support them by dedicating all his life to this cause. He doesn’t like his work, but he realizes that he has to be a breadwinner after his father lost the ability to work. A closer look at the main character reveals that Gregor Samsa was a hard worker, a man who labored much to feed his relatives.
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