There are many autobiographical elements in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, as striking similarities and parallels can be drawn between Gregor Samsa and Franz Kafka, whose names are very similar in letter count and sound. This use of name parallel is common for autobiographical fiction, as seen in Bioshock’s parallel to Atlas Shrugged, employing the use of Andrew Ryan in stead of Ayn Rand. The family and situation depicted in The Metamorphosis mirrors that of Kafka’s real life. Like Gregor, Kafka disliked his authoritarian father, and felt compelled to work a job he disliked in order to financially support his family. Both Kafka and Gregor share a closeness with their sister, and share traits of isolation and worthlessness in life. Kafka employs
…show more content…
Drawing from the perspective of novels such as Frankenstein, Kafka portrays Gregor Samsa’s isolation from both society and his family in his bosses rejection of his outward appearance, and the families revulsion of his new physical form (in one case the mother faints, and the father beats him off life a wild animal.) Another use of the theme of Isolation can be seen In Gregor’s willing, and almost preferable, enjoyment of being left alone. This can be interpreted as a legitimate enjoyment, or enjoyment derived from getting used to being alienated and alone, as he discusses had happened before in his life, noting his lack of friends at his …show more content…
The boarders run parallel to Gregor, in that they also stay at the home and take up space, but, contrast to Gregor in that they provide money and a means for life to the family, whereas Gregor simply exists. The cleaning lady represents the ultimate detachment the family experiences with Gregor, as ultimately she ends up taking care of Gregor, when his family no longer cares.
The ending of the story is portrayed as a much more happy, relieving scene, as at that point Gregor, whom has been a burden on the family, is now dead. The family is relieved to find that they have sufficient funds to move, and that Gregor’s sister can happily marry. The change in tone is both happy and sad, because to bring about the joy of the family, Gregor 's death was mandatory.
The very fact that The Metamorphosis takes surreal events (the transformation of a human into a bug) and speaks of them so calmly creates a humorous side-effect throughout the novel. The humor is that, despite all that is wrong with how the events play out, the metaphysical qualities and such, a monotone retelling occurs, and no characters act as they actually would if someone were transformed into a bug: they all just accept it! This contrast between tone and even lead some critics to believe that the story itself could not have happened in the way that it did, and find humor in the imagery of a
Drawing from the perspective of novels such as Frankenstein, Kafka portrays Gregor Samsa’s isolation from both society and his family in his bosses rejection of his outward appearance, and the families revulsion of his new physical form (in one case the mother faints, and the father beats him off life a wild animal.) Another use of the theme of Isolation can be seen In Gregor’s willing, and almost preferable, enjoyment of being left alone. This can be interpreted as a legitimate enjoyment, or enjoyment derived from getting used to being alienated and alone, as he discusses had happened before in his life, noting his lack of friends at his …show more content…
The boarders run parallel to Gregor, in that they also stay at the home and take up space, but, contrast to Gregor in that they provide money and a means for life to the family, whereas Gregor simply exists. The cleaning lady represents the ultimate detachment the family experiences with Gregor, as ultimately she ends up taking care of Gregor, when his family no longer cares.
The ending of the story is portrayed as a much more happy, relieving scene, as at that point Gregor, whom has been a burden on the family, is now dead. The family is relieved to find that they have sufficient funds to move, and that Gregor’s sister can happily marry. The change in tone is both happy and sad, because to bring about the joy of the family, Gregor 's death was mandatory.
The very fact that The Metamorphosis takes surreal events (the transformation of a human into a bug) and speaks of them so calmly creates a humorous side-effect throughout the novel. The humor is that, despite all that is wrong with how the events play out, the metaphysical qualities and such, a monotone retelling occurs, and no characters act as they actually would if someone were transformed into a bug: they all just accept it! This contrast between tone and even lead some critics to believe that the story itself could not have happened in the way that it did, and find humor in the imagery of a