Comments on: On Kafka’s Metamorphosis

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:08:00 +0000

I’d have to agree with the opinions that have been presented before me especially the ideas that the metamorphosis forced the whole family to change and adapt to the circumstances in which they now had to live by. I think that the title of the novella is absolutely perfect because yeah there is the obvious that Gregor morphs into a cockroach in the beginning, but the rest of the family had to go through “metamorphosis” too. They just didn’t go through it in a physical way like Gregor did. The dad had to “morph” back into a working man once Gregor was no longer with them. Grete “morphed” into a young lady that her parents finally realized her talents. These were all of the “metamorphosis’” that took place throughout that I feel the title refers to. I feel Kafka is going for the other changes in people with the title then he’s talking about Gregor changing into a cockroach. I think that he’s trying to get through to people that you have to change or adapt to your circumstances, because everything doesn’t always go smoothly in life sometimes an obstacle is thrown in your way and you have to find a way to rise above it. And I think that is what the family did by accepting him and trying to find a way to move on with life and except what had happened to them and their son or brother. At first though his dad was not too accepting “With a hostile expression his father clenched his fist, as if to drive Gregor back into his room, then looked uncertainly around the living room, shielded his eyes with his hands, and sobbed with heaves of his powerful chest.” When I first read that my first thoughts turned to today’s society and how things haven’t changed too much, because I was thinking about how we usually think of our parents of reacting to our change. Especially if a son was to tell his parents that he was gay the dad would typically thought to react the same way as he did in this story when he “saw” Gregor’s change.

By: M.Mcnair

M.Mcnair — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:08:00 +0000

Truthfully, it was hard for me to follow the plot to “The Metamorphosis”, but the comment made on the blog helped me to understand it a little better. Regarding the statement about Gregor’s motives for taking care of his family, I would have to disagree if the implications are that he was intentionally putting them in “shackles”. I believe that Gregor was perhaps trying to “win them over” so that he can maintain some social stability in his life. After all, if he was taking care of the bills, his family would be readily available to him because they wouldn’t have to work.

Also, I agree with Dr. Lucas’ observation that family’s dependence on Gregor was a hindrance to their overall will being, but I can’t help but sympathize with Gregor because when he needed his family the most they abandoned him.

By: Manish

Manish — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:07:00 +0000

Reading the novella made me think about all the transformations in it. Kafka’s shows the transformation of not only Gregor, but the whole family. In the beginning when Gregor is first transformed into a bug, so much sympathy is given to him by the whole family. They show strength and hope as a family. But as the novella progresses, we see the transformation of the family. They no longer recognize the bug as Gregor and as he seems to be getting in the way of the family. That is shown when the mother decides to remove the furniture in his room, as a sign that they have lost hope that the bug would transform back to Gregor. It was ironic how Gregor used to provide for the whole family, but it came down to their time to provide for Gregor, they no longer recognized him as a part of them.

By: MSC

MSC — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:07:00 +0000

The shifting balance of power where one must step aside to let the other rise is one of the themes in this novella. The initial shift was after the father’s business had failed, the family was deep in debt with nowhere to turn but to Gregor. Gregor took it upon himself to provide for the family with such a passion that literally overnight he was promoted from a low-level clerk to traveling salesman. This immediate success was hard on the father and caused him to wither away, gaining a substantial amount of weight. This shift was also hard on the mother as she developed repertory problems during this time. He continued to dominate the family for years, which his power growing from an increasing salary, the family’s ailments only worsened. But then, times changed and he became less and less successful at work. He was working just as hard, but seeing no success. It could have been this loss of power that caused him to be transformed into such vermin. With this reversal of roles, it forced the father and mother to clean up their act and take charge of the family. There was such a change in them, that Gregor did not recognize them at first. Gregor continued to lose his grip on power, after his sister no longer took care of him and his furniture was moved, until his realization that he could not lock his sister up in his room and he was no longer wanted by his family. After these psychological blows, Gregor became powerless, withered away and died soon thereafter. With the burden called Gregor out of the picture, the family was finally free to move on and live as they wanted. In the end, we see the daughter blossom into a beautiful young woman, wherein, likely lies the next shift in power.

By: J.P.

J.P. — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:06:00 +0000

In the begining its kinda ridiculous. How can any human being become an insect in one night? As soon as he figures out he is an insect he think about his job instead of thinking how his life was ruined.It somewhat represents his personal alienation.Metamorphosis symbolizes problems in his family and how the demals placed on him have worn him down.Its kinda parallel with humankind.But still dont get it why he has to convert Gregor to a cockroach to describe all these.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:06:00 +0000

I definitely agree with all of the previous comments that have been made here, though I think that if Kafka had given an explanation for the Metamorphosis, then it may have taken away a certain element from the novella. Not having an explanation seemed to only add to the mysteriousness of the story.

The shifting of power throughout the story seems to follow a flip-flop style pattern. Clearly at some point in time pre-novel, Mr. Samsa had to have worked; this is probably where the debt came from, but as soon as Gregor was of age to start providing for the family, the power changes from the father to the son, while the authority seems to remain stable throughout. Gregor never undermines his father, even when he is the primary bread winner for the family. I do not believe that it was ever Gregor’s intentions to keep the family in the so-called “shackles” but that the family rather fell that way to him. You can not bite the hand that feeds you, so therefore the family relies completely and totally on Gregor. I do not agree with the idea that this story was intended to “censure the inclination people have to accept the roles expected by society,” solely because the roles are really quite reversed here. The father is generally the primary provider, granted the son may contribute slightly to that, but never completely, fully and independently. After reading the novel for the third time, I find it always intriguing how mysterious and imaginative Kafka really was.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:05:00 +0000

I think this story shows how people can change when tragedy strikes. Gregors whole family had to transform themselves when he was no longer there in human flesh and blood. His mother and father had stopped working and his father gained weight while Gregor was around because there was no longer any need for them to be productive. Then when the unfortunate metamorphosis took place they were forced to get out and work for the things they needed to live. His father returned to the working Mr. Samsa, his mother also went back to work and his sister quickly grew into a young lady. The metamorphosis was a tragedy for the family, but in the end his father, mother and sister all grew in a positive way from it.

By: EMN

EMN — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:04:00 +0000

Reading this blog I agree with many of the purposed theories that the "students of literature" have provided. I most whole heartily agree with the theory of the novella is meant to be about the family's own transformation. I believe Gregor's metamorphosis was simply a catalyst leading into the main story that, although told in the background and being only in hindsight is what the book is truly focusing on, or meant to tell the reader.

Or a more radical theory of mine, probably because of reading too many science fiction novels is that Gregor was never really there to begin with and was always a cockroach. But he manifested into a giant roach due to the subconscious desires of the family for a way to become what they once were or to achieve a better since of self and accomplishment and "Gregor" was the way the family achieved it. As it stands that theory would make no sense because of the other characters inside the book, unless to the other characters he was just a normal but slightly over large cockroach.

Sticking to my ridiculous theory the giant cockroach that has manifested itself to the family could represent the family's disgust and disappointment towards the outside world that they have to conform to that they so desire.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:04:00 +0000

I have to say that I agree with Warren. I think that in the times you want to pity Gregor for his now pervading situation, you see the way the family has evolved into a nonprosperous group of people. While Gregor was taking great pride in working and completely supporting his family while also paying off their debts, they have all slowly began to slip away, physically and emotionally. His father had become fat and useless and his mother had horrible asthma problems. I think everyone in life has the need to feel like they are loved and that they have accomplished something for themselves. I think that Gregor felt like he was accomplishing his goals but he didn’t take into consideration the goals and aspirations that his family members had set for themselves. He had made his own goals for them, like paying off their debts and sending his sister to the Conservatory. I think this is one way that Gregor felt in power without knowing he was hindering his family, instead of helping them. But then I believe that even though he had set these goals for his family, he only wanted what was best for them. He didn’t want to see them suffer anymore. He did everything he could to help them but then when the tables were turned and he needed compassion and help, the family referred to him as a “monster”. Even though he ended up hindering the family, I don’t understand how they could have completely isolated him from being a part of the family after all that he had done for them through the years.

By: bethlehem

bethlehem — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:04:00 +0000

The story focuses mainly on what happened after Gregor’s metamorphosis and it seems like no one questions or tries to figure out the cause for his change. I thought the author should have some type of explanation. Considering the transformation, i think it has both good and bad outcomes. The good one is that the parents were not dependent any longer. They did not have any choice but to go out and work which gave them the opportunity to become active and healthy. Even for his sister now she can take care of herself rather than depend on him. However, it is sad that Gregor ended up the way he did. To me he seemed a good son and brother who wanted nothing but support his family. The story talks about how he would hate to get up early in the morning to go to work but do so that way, he can pay off his parents’ dept. But he was taken as a burden when he no longer provided for the family.