Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a meticulously dissected narrative that reveals a transformation of man into a creature. However, it hides the true meaning behind what it means to transform form in both mind and body. It becomes clear right away that the story is not just about man becoming beast, taking care of his environment and then dying. Gregor Samsa the antagonist is a character who challenges family roles and has a desire to change his role. It is crucial that absolutes are not imposed on the reader during Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Too much focus is placed on the final piece of a work and not enough attention to the ideas, symbolism, and methods. They make it easy to understand. The reader can place too much importance on the author’s ultimate intention and miss the opportunities to draw meaningful conclusions from the story. Kafka used a nonhuman narration to tell the story of a man who is trying to transcend his current situation and to become more respected in society.
It is crucial to see the creature as both ambiguous and human-like. The first line “One day, as Gregor Samsa woke awake from an anxious dream, he realized that he was being transformed into a monstrous verminous mosquito” immediately informs the reader about the protagonist’s condition. Kafka continues to describe details of the insectlike creature. He describes its hard-shelled and spindlelike bodies. But the classification is left to the reader. This could be revealing about Gregor’s lackluster transformation. It is a catalyst that changes Gregor’s entire life. This causes him to lose his job, be alienated from his families, and a tragic end. The reader is left with a sense of doubt about the event. It describes an absurd reality far removed from any notion of normalcy. Gregor Samsa cannot or should not be in this condition according to science, nature, and physics. His transformation is not explained by the fact that he seems to go to sleep as a human but wakes up as something else. It is possible that he has been punished. However, he does not seem to feel any extreme pain, other than a slight twinge in one of his lower halves. Gregor cannot have insect-like characteristics because he is a caring hard worker who prioritizes the welfare of his family. He is neither worthy nor responsible to his current circumstances. Kafka’s story may contain a hint of an alternate reality. The reality of the transformation is not possible in the real world. Gregor can’t explain it through natural occurrences. It is simply known that the transformation occurred. The reader does not have any details about the actual events or the circumstances leading to the final spiral. It’s as if Gregor’s appearance changed overnight, without any outside forces or significant motives. Given the possibility of something impossible, the reader must choose one of these two conclusions. The first conclusion is that Kafka operates in a fictional setting where ordinary events are transformed into fantastical characters and ideas. This may be the answer to everything that happened after Gregor became a creature. However, it does not explain why. The second conclusion states that both the preceding and subsequent events occurred for a reason. This is true regardless of whether the author intended it to be. This conclusion presents the reader with the challenge of uncovering the characters and ideas that explain the transformation of Gregor Samsa and its subsequent fall.
This idea manifests itself in the first two paragraphs. The first sentence has the line “as Gregor Samsa woken,” which does not refer to any definite state. It is a hint that the protagonist’s current condition lies somewhere between full consciousness or sleep. He is not able to identify the realm he lives in. The second paragraph asks Gregor what has happened to him. It was not a dream” (Kafka), which further blurs the reader’s ability to discern whether the events described are real or dreamlike. In this way, Gregor makes a significant separation from the reader. The impossible, the unimaginably horrifying, or confronting the unknown, one can tell oneself everything is happening in a dream. It is a defense mechanism through which the human brain can explain and debunk any event or occurrence not explained. I used to tell myself it was all fiction when I was young, in order not to lose my sanity. Gregor is not as clear and writes his transformation off immediately as a reality. The reader will be confronted with another example of the separation between reality and dream as he continues to read.
Gregor accepts his physical and mental limitations, but he continues to strive for success, despite his current state. It is not in Gregor’s nature to be absent from something that is necessary of him daily. His family depends solely on the income he provides, and they are grateful. His inability or inability answer the door is a sign of his parent’s involvement in the household. He explains that he is late for work by saying, “Could my alarm not have rung?” One could see from his bed that the alarm was set correctly for four o’clock. It had certainly rung. It had rung. But, was it possible to rest peacefully during that loud noise? (Kafka). One becomes used to waking up on schedule as a hardworking individual. He is also respected for being punctual and not allowing for personal life. It’s absurd that Gregor, five years into his work career, would suddenly abandon his family’s needs. There is nothing unusual about Gregor’s family, lifestyle, work or day. What is the point of all this change?
The reader can accept that Gregor is dreaming, and that the world he is living in now is a result of his imagination. There are some inconsistencies in the way that the narrative is told. It is told from Gregor’s perspective, allowing him to view the protagonist’s inner thoughts. In the introduction, which is a direct start to the main character’s stream, there is an immediate feeling of immediacy. Because of the chaos of the human mind, this same characteristic is common to dreams. Reality is linear in that dreams are not ordered and occur in random sequences. It is important that the reader understands Gregor’s unflinching descriptions of the thoughts and motives of each character, in addition to his bizarre physical appearance. He can see what is happening outside his front door. Now, it is time to think about motivation.
Gregor is living a boring life. The conclusion of the dream-like existence of Gregor and the belief that everything operates according to Gregor’s mind is what makes it possible for him to escape reality. Although Gregor doesn’t seem to be unhappy in his position at Samsa, he exemplifies a downtrodden, stressed individual who is looking for a way forward. His dream serves to be a catalyst for him to escape the dreadful situation that he is in. Parents and family depend on him and not them, which is the traditional way of family dynamics. The insect-like shape that Gregor inhabits can be understood as a challenge to his own responsibility. He gives up the ability to control the family’s finances and accepts care for himself. Kafka’s opening line reveals his disgust for his job and his parental restrictions. I would have told my boss everything I thought from the bottom. 4). Gregor lives in a never-ending cycle of living to please another person, regardless of his selfish emotions.
The symbolic meaning of the bug/creature is therefore significant. The ability to transform into any creature is possible if the story is viewed as a dream. At some deeper level, he has made his own decisions. As depicted throughout literature history, the insect is a symbol of an inhuman, grotesque being that is incapable of rational thought. As Gregor finds out, the insect cannot sustain its own life and is dependent on his sister for meals. This is why the protagonist was not punished. He seems to enjoy what he is being dealt. The main character is clearly unable to see the connection between his insect features and his human thinking. While he functions like a human, he does not have the physical abilities to carry out his daily tasks. Gregor finally learns to let go of his human thoughts and transform into the creature both inwardly as well as outwardly. He becomes the insect and lets his family transform from their dormant selves to become productive members of society by letting go of all his responsibility.
When Gregor talks about his desire to free himself from the confines of his work life, his subconscious and conscious are at play. He is unselfish and works tirelessly to support his family. He is outwardly expressing frustration about his living conditions and his work. This makes him look like an insect. He chooses to become someone who is completely different from his old self. This is because he feels the need to be taken care of, not provided. His instinctual ways of thinking and emotions are still intact for most of the story. This is evident in his desire for a polar opposite. Although he can’t express this to his outside world, it is still present. The insect acts as a governing body that controls Gregor’s inner thoughts passively. His unconscious disregard for the moral values set before him by his family and his surroundings fuels his transformation to an inept animal. Gregor acts like a machine. Day after day, he repeats the process until the machine stops. The day Gregor’s transformation occurs is not significant other than the fact that he transformed from a human to a bug. However, it is also the day when the machine stops working, which causes those around it to experience productivity.
The Samsa family’s transformations are not limited to one individual, but they also act as a catalyst for change and productivity throughout the household. Grete, Gregor’s older sister, is the most affected. Gregor’s work ethic is what the family relies on throughout the story. They rely entirely on him to take care of their children. His existence contrasts starkly with the lazy family. A series of events occurs after his transformation into an insect. These events lead to redemption and refusing to be sloth-like. Gregor questions his father in the line, “And yet…and yet, was that still my father?” “Kafka”: Was this the same man who was exhausted and buried in bed when Gregor set out on a business trip? He had returned in a sleeping dress and armchair, completely unable to stand up and had lifted his arm only as a sign that he was happy. Gregor’s descent to deplorable living triggered a reaction from his friends and family who realized that they had to control their lives if they were going to survive.
Grete is an unusual case. Grete is unquestionably closest to Gregor and cares for him even when others have turned their backs. It is possible that their relationship goes beyond a simple closeness between sister and brother. In his wish-fulfillment dream, Gregor has made a choice to live a life without responsibility in order to avoid the family pressures. Grete shows compassion at first for her brother’s change, but this is primarily in her adolescent development. However, Grete begins to resent her older brother as she becomes more aware of the circumstances in which she finds herself. She eventually releases herself from the caregiving role. Her search for her consciousness is the only thing that can rival her disengagement. Gregor gave up his humanly-derived freedom and humanity to allow each person to search for the consciousness they desire. Grete’s search leads to her maturation and improvement of the family dynamic. Gregor, on realizing that he is only a hindrance to others, gives up his human form.
This outcome has a redemptive quality. The family ended up with a positive result. They sat down and talked about their future plans. Their situation was at its worst when they moved to a new place. None of the relatives are the same as they were before Gregor died. The protagonist’s idea of the ultimate outcome, as illustrated by the image of the fur-wearing woman hanging on his walls, is not a goal but a result of Gregor’s departure from society. The main character’s burden seemed to be only possessive of family emotions for a limited time. His nonhuman appearance greatly diminished the bonds or sympathy between Gregor, the family, and him. Kafka introduces this mindset to attempt to separate reality from fiction. Although the events may seem dreamlike, Gregor’s subconscious desires might be driving them, they are real.
Although the title refers to transformation, it is only applicable to the most specific type. Only certain amphibians or fish can experience metamorphosis. It is the process of transforming from an adolescent into an adult. Gregor is not a typical adolescent. He is shown as an adult with the emotional, physical, and intellectual maturity only adults can have. These adolescents, who are supporting Gregor for selfish reasons, are the protagonists of this story. The protagonist is not the one experiencing a metamorphosis. He is the main driver of all the change in the story. However, Gregor’s transformation is clearly stated at the beginning.
The Metamorphosis tells an easy story, yet has all the symbolism of a profoundly symbolic representation. In his own representation, the self is what makes it clear that human emotion can be suppressed. The protagonist can make his body conform to the inner motivation of his parents, and he is able to assume the shape of the person he desires. If the reader sees the story as a dream rather than an actuality, then Gregor the insect is not a real person. He is merely wishing to be free from the social obligations he’s faced with. As all dreams serve as wish fulfillment, this dream may also be a way for Gregor to escape his reality. It’s an outward representation of an inside idea. Although it may seem odd to believe that there is any sense of normalcy in a fantasy world, Gregor’s impossible transformation allows for human emotion and social interaction within the family.
Gregor’s insects also contain all human faculties relating the mind. It’s not surprising that Gregor can’t stomach his previous drink, but his instinctive insect-like tendencies are visible when the protagonist isn’t thinking. His consciousness can only be experienced when he is willing to submit to the care of his sister. She will also experience her own awareness, but only after Gregor becomes too burdensome. Grete is the one who has been unable to stand up to him. Gregor can only be useful to his sister until she is able to recognize her own consciousness. At that point, the main character will be left behind and the main character will die. The Metamorphosis is a symbolic text that the reader interprets as the right one.
