Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

Everyone is made of flesh and bone on the inside and given the circumstances we can all be stripped of everything that makes us anything more. Franz Kafka is known as one the most prominent writers of the 20th century. In his novel, The Metamorphosis, he draws the reader in from the very first line and describes a peculiar yet extraordinary event in his marvelous work of fiction. Gregor Samsa, the protagonist, wakes up one morning turned into a roach and with that, the story of a man who has no idea what has happened to him kicks off. In the Metamorphosis, Gregor’s transformation can be seen as a metaphor for the limits of man to which he is able to maintain his humanity.
Gregor’s metamorphosis causes him to lose his love of food and develop …show more content…
Instead, Gregor later feasted on the inedible rotten vegetables and cheese that he suddenly developed a desire for. Here, Gregor is also showing signs that he is under compensating. An article by Joachim Vogt Isaksen, “The Psychology of Compensation” states that, “This person [one who is undercompensating] makes himself dependent on other people. Not being able to properly handle personal problems on his own.” Being an insect, Gregor is dependent on his sister for almost everything. In his current state, he starts losing his personality and gets furthers away from his former self. In one instance Gregor wonders to himself, “Have I become less sensitive?” (Kafka, 23). After all the bruises Gregor acquired the previous day, he does not feel any of it because he is losing his human senses. In an analysis of the novel by Nicole Smith, the author states, “Their (Gregor’s Families’) inability to adapt to the changes that have …show more content…
Gregor is still his parent's son no matter what he may look like. His mother refused to see Gregory in his new form. His father chased Gregory after which, “Gregor’s serious wounds, from which he suffered for over a month–the apple remained imbedded in his flesh as a visible souvenir as no one had dared to remove it” (Kafka, 38). Gregor’s father senselessly beat Gregor because he was afraid of him. Gregory has been working had to provide for his family and none of his parents were able to keep that gratitude with them when Gregory transformed. In his letter to his father, Kafka writes, “Even inside the hut I felt a miserable specimen, and what’s more, not only in the eyes but in the eyes of the whole world.” This reference to a miserable specimen is clearly pointing towards Gregory’s transformations and how both were mistreated by their parents. Both of them feel like they are cornered and have nothing to live for. In Gregory’s case his constant hiding under the bed is a physical representation of it. Children often feel neglected because they appear a certain way and with nothing special about them, parents might not even give them any attention, as seen in Kafka’s