Essay on Metamorphosis of the Family in Kafkas Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis of the Family in Kafkas Metamorphosis In Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis, the nature of Gregor Samsas reality changes insignificantly in spite of his drastic physical changes. Gregors life before the metamorphosis was limited to growing and caring for his family. As a traveling salesman, Gregor worked long, hard hours t get into left little time to get word life. He reflects on his life acknowledging the plague of traveling the anxieties of changing trains, the irregular, inferior meals, the ever changing faces, never to be seen again, people with whom one has no prognosis to be friendly (Kafka 13). Gregor, working to pay off his familys debt, has resigned himself to a life full of work. Kafka himself paralleled this sentiment in a quote taken from his diaries noting that no national how hard you work that work still doesnt entitle you to loving concern for people. Instead, youre alone, a total stranger, a mere object of curiosity (Pawel 167). Gregor submerges himsel f in work and becomes a stranger to himself and to life. Any type of social contact beyond porters, waitresses or bartenders was non-existent. He had once met a cashier in a hat shop, whom he had pursued earnestly but too slowly (Kafka 76). There was no room in Gregors life for people other that his family and as a result was condemned to a life without love or caring not to mention basic companionship. He worked diligently to provide for his family and that remained his only goal in life. Gregors family relied on him to be the breadwinner of the family, but gave him nothing in return. The life that he had led until now was one fully of obligations and loneliness he came home to untenanted hotel rooms or his apathetic fam... ...g him and longing for his demise. Can anyone be sure that their lives are good and perfect and that their families would understand and accept any change that could rear? The fact is that above and beyond all things a person must consider themselves first , however selfish it might appear. Sense of self will appreciation you through all the adverse times in life and be a companion to rely on when no one else cares. Works Cited Eggenschwiler, David. The Metamorphosis, Freud, and the durance of Odysseus. Franz Kafka Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 199-219. Emrich, Wilhelm. Franz Kafka A Critical Study of His Writings. New York Ungar, 1968. Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Trans. A.L. Lloyd. New York Vanguard Press, Inc., 1946. Pawel, Ernst. The Nightmare of Reason. New York Vintage Books, 1984.