One of the heartbreaking qualities of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is that despite having a family, Gregor Samsa is a lonely and unwanted man. While he cares so much for them that he is willing to sacrifice his happiness in order to support them, they are distant and inconsiderate towards him. His metamorphosis only makes them ashamed of and disgusted by him, thus proving that unconditional love -even for a relative- is inexistent.
When Gregor wakes up at the beginning of the story, although he finds himself in a body that is completely new to him, his main concern is getting up early so that he can make it to work on time. He confesses that “[i]f [he] didn’t hold back for [his] parents’ sake, [he] would have quit a long time ago” (Kafka, 4). For five years Gregor has been working at a job he dislikes and that keeps him from forming any “relationships that last or get more intimate” (Kafka, 4), yet his family leads a comfortable life and do not work, despite that they are all perfectly able of doing so, as is revealed by the end of the story. So it seems that prior to his transformation, George was just a …show more content…
After Gregor’s unfortunate transformation, they are unable to show him empathy or loyalty. Thus, Kafka conveys the idea that unconditional love does not exist, not even from those who are your own flesh and blood and whom you have sacrificed so much for. A reason for Gregor’s alienation from the family even before he is transformed is never given, making it seem as if love does not always form part of familial ties. Gregor Samsa worked to provide for his family, and even to gain their affection, yet he lives and dies without an indestructible bond left behind. Consequently, he is a reflection of those who live without the purpose of being happy, but rather to get by, to survive, of those who are part of something but have no connections to
When Gregor wakes up at the beginning of the story, although he finds himself in a body that is completely new to him, his main concern is getting up early so that he can make it to work on time. He confesses that “[i]f [he] didn’t hold back for [his] parents’ sake, [he] would have quit a long time ago” (Kafka, 4). For five years Gregor has been working at a job he dislikes and that keeps him from forming any “relationships that last or get more intimate” (Kafka, 4), yet his family leads a comfortable life and do not work, despite that they are all perfectly able of doing so, as is revealed by the end of the story. So it seems that prior to his transformation, George was just a …show more content…
After Gregor’s unfortunate transformation, they are unable to show him empathy or loyalty. Thus, Kafka conveys the idea that unconditional love does not exist, not even from those who are your own flesh and blood and whom you have sacrificed so much for. A reason for Gregor’s alienation from the family even before he is transformed is never given, making it seem as if love does not always form part of familial ties. Gregor Samsa worked to provide for his family, and even to gain their affection, yet he lives and dies without an indestructible bond left behind. Consequently, he is a reflection of those who live without the purpose of being happy, but rather to get by, to survive, of those who are part of something but have no connections to