Themes And Alienation In The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka

“The Metamorphosis” written by Franz Kafka is a look into the mind if a man that must do what he hates to support the people that he loves. Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman and primary provider for his family. One morning Gregor Samsa wakes to discover that he has been metamorphosed into a large, disgusting insect. This transformation causes him to be unable to perform at his job and later results in him losing his job, creating a situation where he can no longer care for the family. The idea that the main benefactor for the family gets “crippled” or otherwise unable to support their dependents is a relatively common structure used in stories of this nature. The family that he begrudgingly work a job he hated to support were forced to …show more content…
Alienation is an easily seen theme, because Gregor is alienated from his family and anyone else he knows after the transformation. He is unable to speak and otherwise interact with other humans at even the most basic level. Furthermore Gregor is also alienated on a genetic level from everyone he knows because he became an entirely different species from his kin. Another theme expressed is the difference between the mind and the body. Although Gregor metamorphosed into a strange insectoid creature he was able to keep a firm grasp on his mental ability, this showed a surprising level of mental fortitude on Gregor’s part. Grete on the other hand underwent no significant outer change but allowed her inner being to be rocked and swayed, showing a significant lack of personal identity. Money is a commonly referenced motif in this story. The father’s failed company creates a history of monetary issues for the family leading to many instances of talks between family members about the status of the family regarding money. Gregor also keeps his job as a traveling salesman in order to make money for his family allowing Gregor to provide for them. Metamorphosis is another motif that is obviously expressed in the story, beyond its use in the name of the story. This motif is seen in more places than just Gregor’s metamorphosis into the insectoid being. The house goes through a transformation after the incident, the loss of a member of the family and the rearrangement of the furniture inside Gregor’s room to accommodate his new form. Grete also undergoes a transformation, unlike the first two examples she has a change in her mind. She at the beginning of the story is sympathetic to Gregor’s situation, but toward the end of the story she began to change and show resentment toward her brother because of the position that he put the family in. The father went through a