In Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, he addresses several themes within his novel. However, I think one of the prevailing ideas, and one that connects several others together, is the fact that Gregor's former life as a human is quite similar to his life as an insect. After his family sees him as a bug, they treat him like an animal and not much like a son. The first time the father attempts to push Gregor back to his room, he makes "hissing sounds like a savage" (70). Not soon after, the father waves a stick around dangerously and does not consider his son's well-being and threatens to "strike him a fatal blow on the back or the head". His whole family is scared of him: all of their reactions show disgust, and his family, which should hold love for a son who has supported them for the last five years, do not dare to go near or even try and communicate with him.
This is no different than Gregor's human life. We can see that Gregor works night and day, and yet his family relaxes, eats long breakfasts, and overall have quite a good time. Despite this, his family complains about Gregor and seem to lack appreciation for what Gregor does. When Gregor gets up late (which they notice only when they themselves wake up), they continue to nag him until the chief clerk comes, in which they try and placate the man by criticizing Gregor. His mother complains how he is always working- and yet, she needs him to work all of the time in order to receive money. His entire family depends on Gregor in order to survive- and even he realizes that they have become rather blasé about the whole thing. Nothing he does seems to be in his own control: he works all the time to pay of his parents' debts, his boss controls what he does and when he does it, and on the whole it is quite unenjoyable. Gregor himself dislikes his job; yet feels tied to it because of his obligation to his family.
However, despite Gregor seeming to be in this prison that is not his own doing, he is still, to some extent, at least a little responsible for his miseries. Everything he does, as a human, is to please his family. He is constantly worrying not about his own state (as I would be screaming my head off and probably faint) but the reaction of his family, and how they will survive without him- in fact, he cannot perceive that they could survive without him. And this is key: I believe that Gregor needs his family in order to survive. It is who he is- his purpose in life. Much like the hunger artist and his audience, Gregor needs his family to keep him going, to prove to himself that he is needed. Talking of his work, he has no friends or even any allies or acquaintances who appreciate him- not to mention his family. We already know that his family seems to have no pressing need to care for his welfare, and yet he desperately needs his family to give him an identity. Just as the family relies on him, he relies on his family. As a bug, he is drawn towards voices and people- his desire to be a part of the family gets the better of him often. When Gregor is unlocking the door, he needs others to support him: "That was a great encouragement to Gregor; but they should all have shouted encouragement to Gregor; but they should all have shouted encouragement to him, his father and mother too... And in the belief that they were all following his efforts intently..." (65). Gregor needs to believe that his family truly cares for him, and is supporting him every step of the way. For without his family, what is he? His everyday life consists of working to please his family: if his family were to not need him anymore, he would not know what to do with himself. As he takes care of his family, he thinks he has found himself, as the caregiver and helper to his family. That he creates a bit of his own prison is seen when he spends his nights working and jigsaw-puzzling instead of talking with his family. He locks himself in his own room, for goodness' sake! The lack of communication also ties in to his own isolation. Although there are many periods of silence in the story, seeming to emphasize each awkward and unpleasant moment in the family, that Gregor cannot be understood limits any way of talking with his family.
As a bug, Gregor is no different than his human life. He does not talk to, and receives no help from, his family. The relationships between Gregor and others remain the same. No one truly cares for him, and he still worries about his family's condition. The only thing that changes is that he no longer supports his family: and thus, Gregor must face what he is without this purpose. He has no job, and he has no purpose- that he dies in the end I am not sure reveals the answer to the question of what he is without his family, who decide to leave him. And it is his life as a bug that I think Gregor learns that his family does not need him- nor want him- and that he has to find a different definition for himself. For each time Gregor tries to please his family as an insect, or even do what they want, he is ridiculed, punished, and pushed away, repulsive to others. His worse injuries occur when trying to accommodate his family. As an insect, there are some times where he does only think of himself- and those are the times when he is happiest. When he embraces his "inner bug". Trying to stand upright only causes him pain- his human life is not his anymore. But when he settles onto all fours (or however many legs he has), he is finally happy: "Hardly was he down when he experienced for the first time this morning a sense of physical well-being; his legs had firm ground under them; they were completely obedient, as he noted with joy; they even strove to carry him along in whatever direction he chose; and he was inclined to believe that a final relief from all his sufferings was at hand" (68). Embracing his inner bug, he is happy- and when he, without shame, crawls under the sofa, he is comfortable and content.
Gregor's prison is determined both by his parents and himself; and that he does not enjoy it is his own doing. Gregor loses sight that all that he does is for his family, and nothing for himself; despite the choices he thinks he has made, it is in reality his parents'. The only choice he has made was to take care of his family, no matter what. Gregor's cares only about his family, and needs his family to need him: for without them, he is just a flat, useless insect.
This is no different than Gregor's human life. We can see that Gregor works night and day, and yet his family relaxes, eats long breakfasts, and overall have quite a good time. Despite this, his family complains about Gregor and seem to lack appreciation for what Gregor does. When Gregor gets up late (which they notice only when they themselves wake up), they continue to nag him until the chief clerk comes, in which they try and placate the man by criticizing Gregor. His mother complains how he is always working- and yet, she needs him to work all of the time in order to receive money. His entire family depends on Gregor in order to survive- and even he realizes that they have become rather blasé about the whole thing. Nothing he does seems to be in his own control: he works all the time to pay of his parents' debts, his boss controls what he does and when he does it, and on the whole it is quite unenjoyable. Gregor himself dislikes his job; yet feels tied to it because of his obligation to his family.
However, despite Gregor seeming to be in this prison that is not his own doing, he is still, to some extent, at least a little responsible for his miseries. Everything he does, as a human, is to please his family. He is constantly worrying not about his own state (as I would be screaming my head off and probably faint) but the reaction of his family, and how they will survive without him- in fact, he cannot perceive that they could survive without him. And this is key: I believe that Gregor needs his family in order to survive. It is who he is- his purpose in life. Much like the hunger artist and his audience, Gregor needs his family to keep him going, to prove to himself that he is needed. Talking of his work, he has no friends or even any allies or acquaintances who appreciate him- not to mention his family. We already know that his family seems to have no pressing need to care for his welfare, and yet he desperately needs his family to give him an identity. Just as the family relies on him, he relies on his family. As a bug, he is drawn towards voices and people- his desire to be a part of the family gets the better of him often. When Gregor is unlocking the door, he needs others to support him: "That was a great encouragement to Gregor; but they should all have shouted encouragement to Gregor; but they should all have shouted encouragement to him, his father and mother too... And in the belief that they were all following his efforts intently..." (65). Gregor needs to believe that his family truly cares for him, and is supporting him every step of the way. For without his family, what is he? His everyday life consists of working to please his family: if his family were to not need him anymore, he would not know what to do with himself. As he takes care of his family, he thinks he has found himself, as the caregiver and helper to his family. That he creates a bit of his own prison is seen when he spends his nights working and jigsaw-puzzling instead of talking with his family. He locks himself in his own room, for goodness' sake! The lack of communication also ties in to his own isolation. Although there are many periods of silence in the story, seeming to emphasize each awkward and unpleasant moment in the family, that Gregor cannot be understood limits any way of talking with his family.
As a bug, Gregor is no different than his human life. He does not talk to, and receives no help from, his family. The relationships between Gregor and others remain the same. No one truly cares for him, and he still worries about his family's condition. The only thing that changes is that he no longer supports his family: and thus, Gregor must face what he is without this purpose. He has no job, and he has no purpose- that he dies in the end I am not sure reveals the answer to the question of what he is without his family, who decide to leave him. And it is his life as a bug that I think Gregor learns that his family does not need him- nor want him- and that he has to find a different definition for himself. For each time Gregor tries to please his family as an insect, or even do what they want, he is ridiculed, punished, and pushed away, repulsive to others. His worse injuries occur when trying to accommodate his family. As an insect, there are some times where he does only think of himself- and those are the times when he is happiest. When he embraces his "inner bug". Trying to stand upright only causes him pain- his human life is not his anymore. But when he settles onto all fours (or however many legs he has), he is finally happy: "Hardly was he down when he experienced for the first time this morning a sense of physical well-being; his legs had firm ground under them; they were completely obedient, as he noted with joy; they even strove to carry him along in whatever direction he chose; and he was inclined to believe that a final relief from all his sufferings was at hand" (68). Embracing his inner bug, he is happy- and when he, without shame, crawls under the sofa, he is comfortable and content.
Gregor's prison is determined both by his parents and himself; and that he does not enjoy it is his own doing. Gregor loses sight that all that he does is for his family, and nothing for himself; despite the choices he thinks he has made, it is in reality his parents'. The only choice he has made was to take care of his family, no matter what. Gregor's cares only about his family, and needs his family to need him: for without them, he is just a flat, useless insect.
Hi Adrienne,
ReplyDeleteI found that it was interesting that you think his family is an essential part of Gregor’s life and consolidates his identity rather than being a hindrance.
I agree with you on that both Gregor and the family are responsible for Gregor’s identity as a moneymaker. Yes, Gregor chooses his own trap. But would he have chosen that trap if his family did not push or make him feel like he had to? If the father revealed from the beginning that the family had spare money, would he had to live slave-like lives, sacrificing what he wants to do? In my opinion, his family has oppressed Gregor until he does not know what he wants for himself. He would be lost without the family because he was never used to thinking and living for himself before. His identity, I believe is “artificial”. When you said that Gregor “needs his family to need him” and “I believe that Gregor needs his family in order to survive”, I think that is only because his family has led him to be that way. His family did not allow him to have any other purpose in his life. Although, he is partially responsible for his “identity”, I would say that his family played a much bigger role in forming his it.
I thought it was very interesting when you said, “Gregor needs his family to keep him going, to prove to himself that he is needed. Talking of his work, he has no friends or even any allies or acquaintances who appreciate him- not to mention his family. We already know that his family seems to have no pressing need to care for his welfare, and yet he desperately needs his family to give him an identity. Just as the family relies on him, he relies on his family.”
When you said this, it came to me that how heavy the consequences not knowing his identity for himself. Like you said needing his family to need him, he is shattered after his transformation constantly worrying about his family’s beings. And it is hard to break out of that for him. He relies on his family and his family relies on him too, but as the story goes along, we can see that his family manages by themselves and seems to move along because they live for themselves and that’s what they have been doing the whole time. The father and Grete get jobs. The impact on his family is not great as the impact on Gregor.
So my question for you is, “To what extent is Gregor responsible for Gregor needing his family and to what extent is Gregor’s family responsible for needing his family?”