“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka Essay

The Metamorphosis” is one of the most famous novels by Franz Kafka, and one of the most amazing in the world literature. This novella overwhelms the reader with the first sentence: “When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin”. This is the story of the poor guy who woke up one morning as an insects, that was a terrible transformation: “ He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes.” (“The Metamorphosis”, Chapter 1)
The very fact that the transformation of man into an insect, given in classical narrative manner in the beginning of the story, of course, is able to evoke in the reader a sense of aesthetic shock. And it is not so much because of the improbability of the situation, but more because of the sense of almost physical repulsion, which arises because of an idea of ​​human-sized insect. This fantastic change of appearance of the hero is just an artistic device, against which develop other artistic metamorphosis, but not so much with Gregor, but with his surrounding, the closest people and outside world. From the beginning of the novel we expect that the basic conflict will be associated with metamorphosis with the heroes, and this expectation is fully justified.
Actually, after the incredible transformation nothing strange is happening: the behavior of heroes is prosaic, mundane, and focus is made on the domestic life, which grow into painful problems for the hero. Kafka laconic tells the story of life’s understandable discomfort, which started for the hero and his family from the moment of transformation of Gregor. Kafka’s story is so “dry” and concise, that the reader can involuntarily forget about the improbability of the fact of transformation, which is the basis of the story.
The main character is Gregor Samsa, who was a normal young man living in a big city. All his efforts and concerns were associated with the family, where he was the only son, and therefore experienced a heightened sense of responsibility for the welfare of loved ones. His father went bankrupt and mostly stayed at home looking through the newspaper. His mother suffered from asthma, and she spent long hours in an armchair by the window. Gregor had a younger sister, Greta, whom he loved very much. She played violin well, and Gregor’s cherished dream – after being unable to meet his father’s debts – was to help her enter the conservatory, where she could study music professionally. All Gregory’s life and intentions were associated with working for his family: At that time Gregor’s sole desire was to do his utmost to help the family to forget as soon as possible the catastrophe that had overwhelmed the business and thrown them all into a state of complete despair”. (“The Metamorphosis”, Chapter 1)
After serving in the army, Gregor settled in one trading company and soon was promoted from clerk to salesman. He worked with great zeal, though the place was ungrateful. He had to spend most of his time travelling with heavy suitcases by train. The owner of the firm was characterized by avarice, but Gregor was disciplined, diligent and hardworking, besides, he never complained. Sometimes he was more lucky, sometimes less, but his salary was enough for renting a spacious apartment for the family, where Gregory held a separate room. Here in that room he woke up one day in the form of a giant insect. He looked around the familiar walls, he saw a portrait of a woman in a fur hat, which he has recently carved out of an illustrated magazine and put in a gilded frame, looked at the window, heard the sound of raindrops, and closed his eyes again. He used to sleep on the right side, and after hundreds of unsuccessful attempts to overturn Gregor with a cool horror realized that everything happened in real life: “What’s happened to me?” he thought. It was no dream”. (“The Metamorphosis”, Chapter 1)
After that terrible morning for Gregor started humiliated monotonous life “in prison”, which he slowly got used to. He gradually got used to his ugly and slow body, to his thin legs, tentacles. He found that he could crawl on walls and ceiling, and even liked to hang out there for a long time.
While in this terrible new creature, Gregor remained the same as what he was – a loving son and brother. He suffered because of family problems and because he brought so much grief into the live of his family. From his “prison” he heard conversation of his relatives, and was tormented by shame and despair, because now the family was destitute, and the old father, sick mother and young sister had to think about earning money. Gregor felt the pain of disgust revulsion of his family, as mother and father first two weeks could not even enter his room. Only Greta, overcoming fear, came to put the food dish, however, Gregor understood that his appearance was unbearable for his sister, and therefore tried to hide under the sofa when she came.
But it must be said, that turned into a big terrible bug, Gregor Samsa has kept the human soul, he stayed individual inside the new body. In this terrible situation he as no one else needed the support and understanding, which he could not get even from those closest to him people – parents and sister. In response to all attempts of Gregor to make contact, he saw only fear, disgust, revulsion and even aggression, although the family realized that they faced not just a stupid bug, but their son and brother, who changed only his body. But even before the metamorphosis there were no warm relations and understanding in the family, despite the fact that the young man was the sole breadwinner, was trying to pay the huge debt of his father. I think that becoming a miserable insect, a disaster, which occurred with Gregor Samsa, is a logical extension of his unvalued and unhappy human existence. Because what may be more helpless than the insect in front of human indifference, aggression and brutality?
Reading the novel, one begins to understand that inside the terrible bug hides good and sensitive heart, pure and sympathetic soul. Understanding that he is only a burden and a hindrance for his family, Gregor tries to help them: he almost does not go out of the room, so as not to frighten the mother; he is hiding under the bed when the nurse cleans the room. But the behavior and attitude of the family every day is becoming more and more insulting, abusive, cruel. It seems that these people also experience metamorphosis inside of them, when they throw off the mask of integrity and nobility and show their callous souls. Relatives do not want to help Gregor to cope with metamorphosis, with his trouble, but also make fun of him. His father, seeing his son only as a hideous insect, even cripples him. And soon Gregor dies, being left alone and the whole world against him: “He remained in this state of empty and peaceful reflection until the tower clock struck three in the morning. He still saw that outside the window everything was beginning to grow light. Then, without his consent, his head sank down to the floor, and from his nostrils streamed his last weak breath”. (“The Metamorphosis”, Chapter 3)
Kafka’s tragic worldview is reflected in the hero’s death, which occurs because of Gregor’s awareness of his uselessness, loneliness, understanding that he is only a burden for his family. Hostile world does not help but slowly kills Gregory, since he is not more a human. But worse of all is that other people don’t have human heart and soul, and their usual decent behavior is just a mask.