Ralph Menar
Professor Filannino
World Literature: ENG-2403
12/3/16
In many of Franz Kafka’s writings you get a view into his personal life but it is simply a reflection. This does not exclude his short story “The Metamorphosis,” in which critics have concluded it is more of an autobiography. Kafka tells this short story through Freud’s unconscious theory. The unconscious mind consists of “feelings thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness” (Cherry). In “The Metamorphosis” Franz Kafka uses psychoanalysis to show how Gregor goes through different feelings he experiences once he transforms as a vermin. To start off there is no doubt that Gregor transforms into a real vermin. He is actually under a lot of stress …show more content…
Often times when we think of these sexualized pictures of women on the walls of rooms we think of adolescents but as we can see Gregor is not a teen, he is an adult and it just adds more to the depiction of him being lonely. One of the reasons he hated working as a salesman was because of the excruciating traveling in which he said left no room for relationships. He doesn’t create relationships with any outsiders where it leaves him which leaves him with no opportunity with a girlfriend. Before his transformation it was a symbol of wealth but throughout the story it became a symbol of his lack of sexual pleasure and love. The feeling of isolation became evident the moment his sister and mother were rearranging his room, “He quickly scurried up over it and pressed himself against the glass that held it in place and which made his hot abdomen feel good. At least this picture, which Gregor at the moment completely concealed, surely no one would now take away. He twisted his head towards the door of the living room to observe the women as they came back in” (Kafka 58), this was the last piece of humanity that was left of him because once the transformation occurred the isolation became more intense for him. It was ironic because he cares so much about a picture frame of a woman but he isn’t able to attain that true love or sexual pleasure. This continues to show the Oedipus complex because he wants to attain love through his
Professor Filannino
World Literature: ENG-2403
12/3/16
In many of Franz Kafka’s writings you get a view into his personal life but it is simply a reflection. This does not exclude his short story “The Metamorphosis,” in which critics have concluded it is more of an autobiography. Kafka tells this short story through Freud’s unconscious theory. The unconscious mind consists of “feelings thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness” (Cherry). In “The Metamorphosis” Franz Kafka uses psychoanalysis to show how Gregor goes through different feelings he experiences once he transforms as a vermin. To start off there is no doubt that Gregor transforms into a real vermin. He is actually under a lot of stress …show more content…
Often times when we think of these sexualized pictures of women on the walls of rooms we think of adolescents but as we can see Gregor is not a teen, he is an adult and it just adds more to the depiction of him being lonely. One of the reasons he hated working as a salesman was because of the excruciating traveling in which he said left no room for relationships. He doesn’t create relationships with any outsiders where it leaves him which leaves him with no opportunity with a girlfriend. Before his transformation it was a symbol of wealth but throughout the story it became a symbol of his lack of sexual pleasure and love. The feeling of isolation became evident the moment his sister and mother were rearranging his room, “He quickly scurried up over it and pressed himself against the glass that held it in place and which made his hot abdomen feel good. At least this picture, which Gregor at the moment completely concealed, surely no one would now take away. He twisted his head towards the door of the living room to observe the women as they came back in” (Kafka 58), this was the last piece of humanity that was left of him because once the transformation occurred the isolation became more intense for him. It was ironic because he cares so much about a picture frame of a woman but he isn’t able to attain that true love or sexual pleasure. This continues to show the Oedipus complex because he wants to attain love through his