As we've seen already, Kafka's fiction is complex and ambiguous. However, I think when we read "The Metamorphosis," we can get clues to the kinds of themes and symbols that Kafka is drawn to. Let's go section by section:
I. Look at the first sentence. He has troubled dreams, but then he wakes up into reality, the reality that he's a bug. Significance? What do you make of the fact that Kafka spends so much time setting the realism of this scenario? He describes the hard carapace and the many weak legs of this new Gregor, the disgusting details of trying to turn the key w/ his mouth and the blood that then flows, describes the new kinds of (rotten) food he likes to eat w/ startling detail. What do you make of the fact that Gregor doesn't seem to be that startled that he's had this fantastic transformation? His main concerns seem to be that his family and boss don't find out and getting to work on time.
II. What do you make of Gregor's relationship w/ his father, esp. the fact that the father has apparently put the family in difficult financial straits and has been accustomed to lounge around the house all day while Gregor traveled and worked long hours to support the family? What do you make of Gregor's reaction when Grete and his mother are moving the furniture out of his room? His first reaction is joy: now he'll be able to climb the walls and go to and fro as he pleases. However, he seems to change his mind, throws himself over the picture of the model that he's framed from the magazine which then leads to the showdown between he and his father. Why does he care so much about this framed picture? What do you make of the scene where his father throws the apples at him?
III. The apple kills Gregor. Significance? Gregor is clearly moved by his sister's playing while simultaneously enraged that the tenants don't respect it. However, Grete says, "In front of this monstrous creature, I refuse to pronounce my brother's name" ( 47). Likewise, when the cleaning woman prods Gregor's corpse w/ her broom, his mother makes a move to stop her, but can't bring herself to intervene and the father then says, "now we can thank God" (50). What do you make of the family's abandonment of Gregor? Or the conclusion on the trolley? As I was rereading this story this weekend, I was thinking about how much Gregor reminds me of people who struggle with some kind of terminal disease for a long time. The family gets worn down, they stop seeing the loved one in the same way as when they were healthy. Did anyone else read Kafka's story in this way?
I feel like in the first section, Gregor kind of just comes into realization of the creature that he is and that he doesn't want to to disappoint his parents and the chief clerk. He doesn't want to lose his job because the family is depended on him working, he is trying to maybe get used to his new "way of life" his new appearance. i feel like he doesn't care about himself at all, he just wants to go to work come home and thats it, he doesn't go out, even when he was late to work he tried to catch the next train to go, because he probably feels that there is to much dependent on him
ReplyDeleteI feel that Gregor was not as bothered by the transformation only because before turning into a bug, he woke up every day with nothing to look forward too. Gregor's life consisted of taking care of his family, he had no social life. The relationship between Gregor and his dad was troubled. There was not much detail about their relationship before Gregor turned into a bug. You can tell who Gregor had a decent relationship with in his family, his mother and sister. The ones who were most bothered by the transformation. After all that Gregor did for his family, he basically played the role of a father figure. He provided and supported his family. Something his father no longer did. for whatever reason...It seemed like his dad had no use for him anymore. Gregor became a burden to his father. I agree that this story is very much similar to a family member being terminally ill. People tend to forget all the good things you have done for them. "OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND". It's really disappointing because in Gregor case he truly loved his family and worked hard to support them, so seeing them give up on him like that was very frustrating. Whats the point of living was probably how Gregor felt. Once his family turned on him, he had nothing to live for.
ReplyDeletehis father stop working because he lost his business but that's no excuse being that he is the man of the house, he should be taking care of his family.
DeleteI agree with you because Gregor really do care and devote all his time to his family because even after his transformation he was still trying to go to work despite his current situation he wasn't worried about his self as much as we would be if something that crazy happen to us.
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