Why Gregor is More Uncanny than His Metamorphosis
Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” frightens and intrigues with the idea that a man could wake up one morning and find himself no longer human, but a giant insect. The situation leaves much to interpretation about what is possible and impossible, especially in the world that Gregor and his family occupy. However, reading the Metamorphosis through the lens of Freud’s ideas in “The Uncanny”, the story of how a man inexplicably transforms into a bug is not so much about the transformation as it is about the reality of the situation. In other words, Freud’s concept of the uncanny compels a reading of “The Metamorphosis” that does not question how Gregor changes, but examines why this change is uncanny …show more content…
Gregor’s transformation into a bug is uncanny because he is taking on the function of “the uncanny” in the story. This revised Freudian reading of “The Metamorphosis” changes the depth of the story so that it is no longer about the impossible becoming possible, but rather about the uncanny becoming tangible and interactive. In other words, uncanniness is achieved when the main character becomes a literal object of the uncanny (a giant insect), and therefore takes on the function (something out of place) of the uncanny in his own story without ever stopping to acknowledge his uncanniness. Perhaps the purpose of this reading is to justify the family’s reaction to Gregor’s transformation, or to condemn Gregor as being too out-of-place for even his own world; either way it is not Gregor’s transformation but rather Gregor himself that is the source of …show more content…
Initially just an effect of the impossible becoming possible, the uncanny is now a tangible object and the giant insect its symbol. Gregor was uncanny to start with, but only took on the function of the uncanny through his transformation and this allows readers to better understand the story itself. The Samsa household’s position in dealing with the uncanny left them no choice but to change and adapt into an ultimately more functional family after their problematic son could no longer affect them. The source of uncanniness had to be removed in order for the optimistic ending of the story to be justified. So, Gregor was doomed from the start because his uncanniness was the initial problem that set the story in motion. And, Freud’s reading of “The Metamorphosis” through the lens of “The Uncanny” explains just how Gregor was more uncanny than his transformation into a giant, crawling,
Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” frightens and intrigues with the idea that a man could wake up one morning and find himself no longer human, but a giant insect. The situation leaves much to interpretation about what is possible and impossible, especially in the world that Gregor and his family occupy. However, reading the Metamorphosis through the lens of Freud’s ideas in “The Uncanny”, the story of how a man inexplicably transforms into a bug is not so much about the transformation as it is about the reality of the situation. In other words, Freud’s concept of the uncanny compels a reading of “The Metamorphosis” that does not question how Gregor changes, but examines why this change is uncanny …show more content…
Gregor’s transformation into a bug is uncanny because he is taking on the function of “the uncanny” in the story. This revised Freudian reading of “The Metamorphosis” changes the depth of the story so that it is no longer about the impossible becoming possible, but rather about the uncanny becoming tangible and interactive. In other words, uncanniness is achieved when the main character becomes a literal object of the uncanny (a giant insect), and therefore takes on the function (something out of place) of the uncanny in his own story without ever stopping to acknowledge his uncanniness. Perhaps the purpose of this reading is to justify the family’s reaction to Gregor’s transformation, or to condemn Gregor as being too out-of-place for even his own world; either way it is not Gregor’s transformation but rather Gregor himself that is the source of …show more content…
Initially just an effect of the impossible becoming possible, the uncanny is now a tangible object and the giant insect its symbol. Gregor was uncanny to start with, but only took on the function of the uncanny through his transformation and this allows readers to better understand the story itself. The Samsa household’s position in dealing with the uncanny left them no choice but to change and adapt into an ultimately more functional family after their problematic son could no longer affect them. The source of uncanniness had to be removed in order for the optimistic ending of the story to be justified. So, Gregor was doomed from the start because his uncanniness was the initial problem that set the story in motion. And, Freud’s reading of “The Metamorphosis” through the lens of “The Uncanny” explains just how Gregor was more uncanny than his transformation into a giant, crawling,