• Home Page
  • Symbols In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

Symbols In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

Improved Essays
Show More
' 'One morning, When Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin ' '(9). This is the famous opening in Franz Kafka 's classic short novel The Metamorphosis. The main character, Gregor Samsa, is the eldest son of the family, and is currently the only income provider for the Samsa’s. They have accumulated a large amount of debt, so Gregor Samsa was the one paying of the depth. Gregor Samsa’s transformation into a vermin is viewed as profoundly symbolic because his family tried to accommodate to his needs, but later their sympathy towards Gregor slowly disappeared until Gregor felt alienated from his family. The Metamorphosis is filled with symbolic meanings that play a major role in …show more content…
This photograph is symbolic to Gregor because it symbolizes wealth and success. The furs are what symbolize wealth, but in his vermin mindset this is what makes it more appealing to Gregor because it makes the photograph more animalistic to him. His job as a travelling salesman has no stable connections with anyone because “ he can never get to know them better, or become friendly with them” (7) therefore the women in furs represent the desire for a female companion. The frame itself is also symbolic because Gregor handcrafted it before his transformation. This frame also represents his desire for the women in furs. Grete and Ms. Samsa wanted to clear out Gregor’s room, so he can have more space. However, Gregor noticed that they wanted to take the photograph away, but he managed to hold on to the photograph with all his might. This shows how Gregor did not want his family to take the last part of his humanity away because it would make him feel more like a bug. Gregor felt enraged that his family wanted to take the photograph that he had a connection to besides his sister Grete. Overall, his emotions towards the photograph show how Gregor is unwilling to let go of his wealth and success just because he turned into a

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    Gregor's Fears In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
    • 2178 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Gregor's Fears In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    When Gregor wakes up after being forced back into his room, he discovers a bowl of milk “he didn’t like ... at all, although it had once been his favorite drink[. It] was why his sister brought it in”(Kafka 278) but the bug version of Gregor despised everything of it. Grete cares for Gregor not only because he is her brother, but because she loves him. She knew what Gregor’s favorite drink was and she was thoughtful enough to bring it to him. She cares about what happens to Gregor even if their father and mother do not; their parents only care for themselves.…

    • 2178 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Metamorphosis Rhetorical Analysis
    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Metamorphosis Rhetorical Analysis

    Gregor was obviously being neglected, and somehow his family still thought they were the ones being treated unfairly. In Gregor's final days, the support from Grete had entirely disappeared. The one person Gregor trusted the most had ultimately betrayed him, pushing Gregor to starve himself. “’It has to go,’ cried his sister. ‘That’s the only answer, Father’” (Kafka…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Theme Of Transformation In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Theme Of Transformation In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    It is his sister, Grete’s idea to move all of the furniture out of his room. This will allow him more room to scurry without leaving residue behind. Even though Gregor appreciated the extra room, he was worried that he was losing any tie to his human self he had left. In an effort to save his morality Gregor crawled onto the wall to protect the first thing he could think of, a picture frame on the wall of a lady all dressed up in fur, so his family would not take it away. When his mother entered the room and saw him there, she did not see her son but a vermin monster.…

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Society And Family In Hamlet And Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis?
    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Society And Family In Hamlet And Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis?

    His physical transformation is not only a threat for his household, but also disgusts his employer, as is evidenced by the reaction of his manager: “The manager burst out with loud “oh!” – it sounded like a rush of wind- and now he could see him standing closest to the door, his hand pressed over his open mouth slowly backing away, as if repulsed by an indivisible and unrelenting force.” (Kafka 788) This toxic situation for Gregor alludes to the ruthlessness of the society and selfishness of his own family. Gregor’s metamorphosis into a “lowly insect” brings to light the stark reality that society and family is unwilling to accept individuals with a sense of self into their…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Analysis
    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Franz Kafka Metamorphosis Analysis

    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.…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis
    • 1824 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

    The Metamorphosis written by a German author Franz Kafka is viewed as one of the most analyzed works of literature. It is an incredible story that explains the process of transformation from human into a massive insect of Gregor Samsa. This story continues to be an inspiration for many imaginative pieces of literature. The aspect of Metamorphosis has transformed it into a puzzle of contemporary imagination. Popular culture has always shown the difference between functional and dysfunctional families to provide the factors that influence their information.…

    • 1824 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Human Nature And Family Transformation In Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Human Nature And Family Transformation In Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    When Gregor is first transformed, Grete brings him “half- rotten vegetables, bones left over from dinner… and a piece of dry bread (Kafka 107); knowing that Gregor would not want to see her staring at him while he ate, she left the room giving him some courtesy to settle down. Even though he is a cockroach, he too still has feelings which Gregor appreciates the attention Grete is showing him in the beginning of section 2. As time pass by, his mother finally enters his room on request of Grete to move the furniture in his room so that he would have more space to wander and crawl. Though his mother is fragile and it was complicated to move the wardrobe, she suggested that they just leave it in the room so that if Gregor returns to his natural self “he…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Symbolism In The Metamorphosis Kafka
    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited

    Symbolism In The Metamorphosis Kafka

    In the beginning of the story Gregor is described as “squirming” (3) and “shocked to hear his own voice,” (5) which resembles his struggle of finding out who he is because he has turned into what family/society wants him to be. The fact that he is “shocked to hear his own voice” justifies that Gregor is not only confused on he has become, but it exposes the reality that Gregor never voices his concerns on being someone he isn’t. It startles him to realize that he is a prisoner within his own body and can’t figure out who he has become, which Kafka makes the reader feel sympathy for him because of his confusion in his mind. Towards the middle of the story Gregor “inconsistently darted madly” (18) around the room when his father was chasing him, which symbolizes Gregor’s chaotic state of trying to live up to his father’s approval because he “didn’t want to let his family down” (11) and how he feels “useless in his present state” (27). Kafka describes Gregor as “simply happy” when Gregor finds solitude in his own body, which shows that Gregor can accept who he is only in his bug form and doesn’t dwell too heavily on the expectations that has been set before him, which makes him authentic because he doesn’t feel he needs to meet his family’s expectations anymore (32).…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Symbolism In The Metamorphosis By Gregor Kafka
    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Symbolism In The Metamorphosis By Gregor Kafka

    “On the wall directly opposite hung a photograph of Gregor from his army days, in a lieutenant’s uniform, his hand on his sword, a carefree smile on his lips, demanding respect for his bearing and his rank” (15). This is the last thing Gregor has that helps him feel more like used to be human, he tried to hold on to it as much as possible after having all the things taking away from his father and sister in this room. This is an important symbol that let the reader to know about Gregor when he was a human. The photograph is set on the wall of the room to give more information about Gregor and his life experience. And this is also one of the only things left when he changed into a bug and live in the bedroom.…

    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Gregor's Change In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
    • 1776 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Gregor's Change In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    Prior to his transformation Gregor held the belief that his family relied on him completely for survival. Tragically for Gregor, this belief is shattered as he begins to realize he is not as important to his family as he thought. After the failure of his father 's business, it is explained that "Gregor 's sole desire was to do his utmost to help the family to forget as soon as possible the catastrophe that had overwelmed the business and thrown them all into a state of complete despair." (110) and that "later on Gregor had earned so much money that he was able to meet the expenses of the whole household, and did so." (110).…

    • 1776 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Gregor And Christian Values In Kafka's The Metamorphosis
    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Gregor And Christian Values In Kafka's The Metamorphosis

    In The Metamorphosis, Kafka weaves Christian values into the struggles of Gregor, a salesperson whom turned into a cockroach, seemingly overnight. Gregor 's family relied on Gregor, as he was the only one with a source of income in the whole family. When Gregor changes into a cockroach, his family is rendered helpless. While the title might refer to Gregor’s literal metamorphosis into a cockroach, it might also refer to each of his family member’s growth throughout the book, each with a metamorphosis of their own. Kafka makes a statement by alluding to Christian values, such as the parallels between the characters in the book and the biblical characters and the use of the apple as original sin.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Change In Kuper's Metamorphosis
    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Change In Kuper's Metamorphosis

    In the last photo of the graphic novel, Gregor has just revealed himself to his family and boss. Both the verminous state of Gregor and the reactions of everyone to his change are shown, in a third person omniscient point of view. Not many would see a positive side in randomly waking up as a cockroach one morning. It is presented in the graphic that Gregor's peers are taken aback, and certainly not ecstatic about his new appearance. The wide-eyed, dropped-mouth faces of those towering over Gregor convey a very negative change in attitude.…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Importance Of Humanity In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Importance Of Humanity In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

    Gregor is reluctant to this change and tries everything in his power to stop them from removing the picture because it is the strongest physical connection to his humanity. The picture symbolises an object in which Gregor feels sentimental about because the photo was a connection to an important part of his human life; his job. Samsa kept the picture beside his “unpacked line of fabric samples” (1084) as he was a salesman. Since the woman in the picture was wearing a fur boa, it reminds Gregor of his previous job, and how he supported his family. Gregor desperately wants to keep the photo because as he continues to lose his humanity in his insect body, he needs a physical connection to a human memory so that he can confirm that his mental state was still human.…

    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    A Comparison Of Gregor And Gregor In The Metamorphosis
    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A Comparison Of Gregor And Gregor In The Metamorphosis

    Gregor wanted to save some money to send Grete to a conservatory so that she can study violin and improve on her skills. But he did not have a chance to tell her because he could not speak as a human anymore. And Grete on the other hand would feed Gregor different kinds of food to see which ones he prefers that demonstrates how caring they are towards each other. But as time went on she finds a new job as a sales girl. She has to try and help provide for the family.…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Marxism In The Metamorphosis
    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Marxism In The Metamorphosis

    At first glance, the storyline of The Metamorphosis seems to be a novella of Gregor, the protagonist, who wakes up one morning from an unsettling dream to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin. Underlyingly with a Karl Marx’s economic perspective, this short novel portrays a metaphor that gives this unpractical semblance a great deal of relevance to the structure of society. Marxism is the concept that the abolition of social classes is essential for an ideal society to happen. By examination of this storyline from a Marxist view, it is clear that The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, reveals that the hidden theme is the conflict between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. In this situation, it is shown that Gregor represents the…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings