Settings in works of literature are usually closely associated with a central theme or idea of the story. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the setting is an integral part of the novel as it represents and strengthens the ideas of isolation and family life.These ideas are linked to the central theme of alienation.
Gregor Samsa remains in his bedroom for most of the novel, which represents the idea of segregation. Initially, Gregor is a human who works a despicable job for the sake of his family’s survival. Before the metamorphosis, he is isolated from the others, revealed when he says, “I’ve got the torture of ...no relationships that last or get more intimate.”. From this quote, it can be inferred that Gregor dislikes his profession as it …show more content…
The state of Gregor’s room is used to represent the state of his relationships with other personages. At first, the bedroom is “a regular human room” which is simply furnished, suggesting that his relationships with other characters are considered to be normal and simple. At this point in the story, Kafka wants to demonstrate that Gregor does not experience strong alienation. Instead, he portrays Gregor as one who considers himself a normal person. However, after his transformation his family’s loss of the hope of recovery, the state of the room degrades to the point that “streaks of dirt ran along the walls, fluffs of dust and filth lay here and there on the floor.” . This passage reveals that the state of the room has deteriorated and it is now in a miserable condition. In a similar manner, Gregor’s relationships with other characters have diminished to the point that they are in deplorable condition. This state of his relationships means that his isolation increases as interactions with others are necessary for one to associate with them. Since Gregor is losing these interactions, he also loses his membership to the group and becomes alienated. The final state of the bedroom is one of disorder because “Whatever was not being used at the moment was just flung in Gregor’s room”. This quote demonstrates that the family no longer cares about Gregor’s comfort because they …show more content…
This room is a symbol of the family unit since only those who are allowed to be in this room can be considered to be part of the family. The living room is the location of many symbols of family, such as the fireplace and the dinner table. It is also where the “family consultations at every meal time” occurs. The living room is therefore a symbol of family as it is the location of these symbols and conversations. The idea of the family unit is linked to the theme of alienation as Gregor, who is kept out of the living room, is not considered to be a member of the family and is therefore segregated from the group. Gregor’s status in the group is present in the dialogue of the other characters. At the beginning of the story, unknowing of his metamorphosis, everyone is concerned about Gregor. This is displayed when Gregor’s mother asks about his reason for waking up late and he makes the remark, “What a sweet voice!”. The sweet voice is used by Gregor’s mother to show that she cares about him at that time as she uses a loving tone when speaking to her son. However, near the end of the story, Grete refers to Gregor as a monster and tells her parents that they “have to try to get rid of it... I don’t think anyone can blame us in the least.”(p51). This quote is different from the previous as its tone is irate as it refers to Gregor as “it” instead of “he” and . Kafka uses the shift in tone to
Gregor Samsa remains in his bedroom for most of the novel, which represents the idea of segregation. Initially, Gregor is a human who works a despicable job for the sake of his family’s survival. Before the metamorphosis, he is isolated from the others, revealed when he says, “I’ve got the torture of ...no relationships that last or get more intimate.”. From this quote, it can be inferred that Gregor dislikes his profession as it …show more content…
The state of Gregor’s room is used to represent the state of his relationships with other personages. At first, the bedroom is “a regular human room” which is simply furnished, suggesting that his relationships with other characters are considered to be normal and simple. At this point in the story, Kafka wants to demonstrate that Gregor does not experience strong alienation. Instead, he portrays Gregor as one who considers himself a normal person. However, after his transformation his family’s loss of the hope of recovery, the state of the room degrades to the point that “streaks of dirt ran along the walls, fluffs of dust and filth lay here and there on the floor.” . This passage reveals that the state of the room has deteriorated and it is now in a miserable condition. In a similar manner, Gregor’s relationships with other characters have diminished to the point that they are in deplorable condition. This state of his relationships means that his isolation increases as interactions with others are necessary for one to associate with them. Since Gregor is losing these interactions, he also loses his membership to the group and becomes alienated. The final state of the bedroom is one of disorder because “Whatever was not being used at the moment was just flung in Gregor’s room”. This quote demonstrates that the family no longer cares about Gregor’s comfort because they …show more content…
This room is a symbol of the family unit since only those who are allowed to be in this room can be considered to be part of the family. The living room is the location of many symbols of family, such as the fireplace and the dinner table. It is also where the “family consultations at every meal time” occurs. The living room is therefore a symbol of family as it is the location of these symbols and conversations. The idea of the family unit is linked to the theme of alienation as Gregor, who is kept out of the living room, is not considered to be a member of the family and is therefore segregated from the group. Gregor’s status in the group is present in the dialogue of the other characters. At the beginning of the story, unknowing of his metamorphosis, everyone is concerned about Gregor. This is displayed when Gregor’s mother asks about his reason for waking up late and he makes the remark, “What a sweet voice!”. The sweet voice is used by Gregor’s mother to show that she cares about him at that time as she uses a loving tone when speaking to her son. However, near the end of the story, Grete refers to Gregor as a monster and tells her parents that they “have to try to get rid of it... I don’t think anyone can blame us in the least.”(p51). This quote is different from the previous as its tone is irate as it refers to Gregor as “it” instead of “he” and . Kafka uses the shift in tone to