Metamorphosis

A detailed Summary of Metamorphosis

In The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, a lonely man named Gregor mysteriously turns into a huge beetle overnight. Although his family is neither able to understand him, nor accept him, his love and concern for his family never diminishes. When he realizes that he must disappear in order to be less of a burden to his family, he dies a noble death, alone in his room. Kafka indicates, through Gregor's estrangement from the world he once knew, that a human being who is isolated and alienated from others cannot sustain life.

Gregor was alienated even before his transformation. He worked as a traveling salesman under a boss who showed no respect for him: "He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone" (p 5). Because he traveled so much, he was unable to make friends or have any kind of intimate relationship. Throughout the five years Gregor had worked in the company, he hadn't missed work once in order to pay off the debt his father owed. Gregor's father is a cogent authority figure in the family, yet Gregor had become stronger because of his father's weakness. When his father had lost the business and could no longer support the family, Gregor took over his father's position in the family and was the sole supporter. Gregor was

obliged to support the family and was therefore not included in many activities the family valued: "The breakfast dishes were laid out lavishly on the table...His father...would prolong [breakfast] for hours while reading various newspapers" (p 15) (this all taking place long after Gregor has left for work). Even before Gregor had transformed, his alienation from his job and family was leading to his deterioration.

After Gregor's metamorphosis, his isolation becomes increasingly apparent. As he awakens, he hardly notices the changes in his body; he isn't startled in the least. When he starts to speak he doesn't notice a change in his voice, where as to the rest of the family he is inaudible. When he finally shows himself, his family is disgusted, scared, and humiliated. He is shut in his room, his door locked from the outside. Even his environment becomes alien to him, when he can no longer see out his window. His room is only to be opened when his sister cleans or feeds him. At first she feeds him anything that she thinks he wants to eat and she cleans his room as well as she can, but when she starts working, she can't be concerned with these tasks anymore. Her actions are routine, as she only wants to do enough so th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Franz Kafka, gregor alienated, sustain life, doesn't notice, job family, family gregor, support family,

Approximate Word count = 828
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Metamorphosis

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