Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis Sacrifice

Unzegeifer, the original German translation, equates to “an unclean animal not suited for sacrifice”; such word is used to describe Gregor Samsa’s transformation into a vermin in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. A working class everyman, Gregor Samsa lacks the traditional societal honor that often characterizes one’s sacrifice to society. Gregor may not be a suitable sacrifice if he lacks the honor, let alone the willingness, to have his sacrifice hold any significant meaning. However, Gregor, as his family’s sole provider in a time of financial instability, holds significant value; therefore, he would make a suitable sacrifice in terms of honor, but not necessarily in practicality. Yet, the main context in which Gregor’s sacrifice should be …show more content…
Before the metamorphosis, Gregor’s father’s business failure and a debt to Gregor’s employer contracted at the time are the main events that chain Gregor to a dissatisfied life. Then, unaware of his metamorphosis, Gregor expresses his wish that “the devil take it all!” (2) and is then made fully aware of the gravity of his transformation by a cold shudder; Gregor’s human form has been sacrificed in exchange for his freedom from his responsibilities and fulfills Gregor’s long awaited rebellion. Gregor is given the opportunity to be freed from his obligations to his unsatisfying job; however, he nevertheless remains tied down by guilt due to his sudden inability to support his family. Gregor’s physical transformation forced him to become a victim of an uncontrollable calamity, rendering him helpless and innocent; yet, because Gregor did not willingly sacrifice his body to the metamorphosis specifically, the argument can be made that Gregor’s true sacrifice was his humanity. Initially after the metamorphosis, Gregor continues to cling to his human duties and obligations, willingly trying to prove himself as a viable member of the family. However, as Gregor slowly adopts the characteristics and behaviors of his physical form, his family gradually loses their acceptance of the …show more content…
Since his family is in a financially unstable situation, Gregor has played a vital role in caring for his family as the sole provider, chaining him to an unsatisfying life of human obligations. Initially, his family was unwilling to lose Gregor and clung onto his human identity, suffering as Gregor’s loss worsened their financial instability. Yet, “what mainly prevented the family from moving was their complete hopelessness and the thought that they had been struck by a misfortune as none of their relatives and acquaintances had ever been hit” (40). Victims themselves of Gregor’s uncontrollable transformation, Gregor’s family suffered from the lack of security the metamorphosis had initially forced onto their situation. Accepting Gregor’s transformation in the beginning reflected the family’s constant need to cling to their son’s humanity. However, such acceptance is lost when Gregor further adopts the lifestyle of an insect and loses his ability to communicate. Believing that “if it were Gregor, he would have realized long ago that it [is not] possible for human beings to live with such a creature, and he would have gone away on his own free will” (52), ultimately forcing his family to neglect Gregor and focus on themselves. Eventually, the roles of the family are