Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Taking Place Involving Gregor And Its Effect On Essay, Research Paper

Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Taking Place Involving Gregor and Its Effect on

the Family

Metamorphosis. This means a change in form, structure, or

appearance. Change is a major theme throughout Franz Kafka’s novella,

The Metamorphosis. There is a significant relationship between the title,

The Metamorphosis, and the theme of change. Kafka’s main character, Gregor

Samsa, undergoes many changes and his transformation evokes change in his

family.

Several metamorphosis take place involving Gregor. First, a

physical change occurs “When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from

unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous

vermin.” After that happened, Gregor’s voice changes from human into the

voice of a bug. “That was the voice of an animal,” Gregor’s manager said,

but the words seemed perfectly clear to him. Beginning to see things

less and less, Gregor experiences a change in his vision. An example,

found on page 29, would be Gregor seeing the hospital less and less

distinctly. A mental change in Gregor occurs when he starts not caring

about or having no consideration for his family. ” It hardly surprised him

that he was showing so little consideration for the others; once such

consideration had been his greatest pride.”

Everyone in the Samsa family experiences changes brought on by

Gregor’s metamorphosis. Since Gregor’s physical change renders him no

longer able to work, the family’s financial situation changes. Gregor’s

mother, father, and sister have to get jobs. Mrs. Samsa, Gregor’s

mother, sews lingerie for a local clothing store. His sister, who took a

job as a salesgirl to help the family,

also learns French in the evening so she might get a better position in

the future. Mr. Samsa, Gregor’s father, takes a job as a messenger for

banking institutions. Turning into a bug, Gregor causes a lack of harmony

among the family members. They keep away from him and will not even look

at him. Now, because they are afraid of Gregor, at least two people

always stay home together. Lifestyles that they used to have change. No

maids want to stay. “…On the very first day the maid- it was not

completely clear what and how much she knew of what happened- had begged

his mother on bended knees to dismiss her immediately..;” (26) Besides

that, the necessity arises to rent rooms out to three borders to add to

their income. Grete, willingly at first and unwillingly at the end, does

everything for Gregor, such as clean his room and give him his food. After

the death of Gregor, the family’s feelings change from despair to hope and

happiness. Death brings about a positive change in the way they now see

Grete, as compared with the way they perceived her when Gregor was alive.

Now to them Grete “… had blossomed into a good looking good-looking,

shapely girl.” (58) Also, they wish to marry her off. In addition

they plan to move into a new, more manageable home in which they can find

relief.

As the seasons bring life and death changes in the world of nature,

so to in this story, does the life and death of Gregor Samsa bring profound

changes not only to him as an individual but also to the lives of the

others around him.