The roles of women in The Metamorphosis and Paradise of the Blind are both that of sacrifice for love and family as Kafka describes the women's roles as those of duty and responsibility in a time of need for family strength in The Metamorphosis, and similarly Huong represents women in a position to sacrifice their own needs or wants for the family.

In The Metamorphosis, the two women represented in the story are Gregor's sister, Grete, and his mother. As Gregor is "transformed," the women are forced into new duties of care-giving and hard-working women. Grete especially realizes the need for someone to step in and be the primary care-taker of Gregor, considering his newfound inability. This is demonstrated on page 91 as it talks about Grete's reaction to coming into Gregor's room after trying to give him some food earlier which he seems to not have eaten. "But his sister at once noticed, with surprise, that the basin was still full, except for a little milk that had been spilt all around it, she lifted it immediately, not with her bare hands, true, but with a cloth and carried it away." The cloth is mentioned to give the reader a sense of disgust in Grete's cho

Not only would they have to deal with Gregor's new form, but they would have to change their own lifestyles considering Gregor had before been the main provider for everyone in the family. Both Gregor's father and sister go to work to support the family. This shows, again, how much Grete took on as her role as a woman. At this point in the book, however, it is clear that there is a feeling of too much burden as page 132 says "Who in this overworked and exhausted family had time to worry about Gregor any more than absolutely necessary?" As there is still an obvious understanding of caring for Gregor, it has come to a point where the situation has affected the family so much that they must look at it most realistically. Eventually, nobody can give anymore and, As Grete has been the primary care-giver she finally gives up and explains, realistically, the situation to her father. "'It has to go,' cried his sister. 'That's the only answer father. You just have to get rid of the idea that it's Gregor.'"(52) The duty of care-giving can no longer be fulfilled toward Gregor as it has become more of a necessity to care for the family as a whole.

re. She clearly doesn't necessarily want to be in this position, yet she understands that as her brother, she must care for him. It seems as though the mother would possibly be the most important woman's role in the book, yet her attitude toward the situation seems to make her incapacitated to fulfill any such duties. Every member of Gregor's family had a negative, surprised reaction to his transformation, yet none seemed to be as distressed as that of Gregor's mother. An example of her sorrow and feelings of resentment can be found on page 86 as it says "Behind his father his mother had torn open a window, despite the cold weather, and was leaning far out of it with her face in her hands." This quote is actually somewhat symbolic of the mother's n

Some common words found in the essay are:
Paradise Blind, Que Tam, Eventually Tam, Blind Metamorphosis, Hang's Uncle, Aunt Tam, paradise blind, hang's mother, roles women, stay true family, paradise blind metamorphosis, importance family, sacrifice family, family living, vietnamese culture, own family, despite cold weather, family community, role family,
Approximate Word count = 1276
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)