Kafka's the Metamorphosis

Introduction

This essay is going to relate to the analysis of the characters in the fiction literary article titled “The Metamorphosis” which was authored by Franz Kafka and published in the year 1915. This will depicts how the literary work of fiction usually outlays how the reader relates with the character in the story. 

Executive Summary

Gregor Samsa a hard working salesman awakes to his worst night mare in life. He is inexplicably mutated into a monstrous insect from his human image. Before the transformation of Gregor he was the sole bread winner in the family. All the other family members are dependant on his salary for survival. He pays the rent and facilitate for all the bills in the house. Early on his father engaged in drinking sprees acquired debt which Gregor is also facilitating for the repayment. Further more he provides the entire essential requirement to the family from his wage earning. His dreams to further his studies are thwarted by the fact that he want to facilitate for payment of the tuition fees for his younger sister violin classes. The comfort of the whole family is very much dependant on Gregor. The family member do not labor but wait upon the wages earning of Gregor to facilitate for their domestic as well as personal needs as noted by Kafka (1996).

In wake of the fateful morning Gregor worries how he will be able to reach to his work place. Later after the family learns of the mutation they call in the supervisor to tell him of the fate which has befall on Gregor. The supervisor reports at Gregor residence to ascertain the story and is reluctant to go into his bedroom, he calls out to Gregor and he reluctantly crawl out in the horror of all the family members and the supervisor. The supervisor horrified by the scene flees Gregor residence and the family seeing the effort of Gregor to pursue his supervisor locks him in his bedroom (Kafka, 1996).

Gregor sister Grete who in the beginning offers to help him go about getting food and cleaning the room of the protagonist is close with also develop resentment and advices that the family should get rid of him. However, the meals are rotten and the milk which Grete offers Gregor is stale. Because the family are embarrassed of Gregor now acquired form they lock him most of the time in his room. When there are no guests he stays in the sitting room area and when a guest comes he hide under the sofa. He muses himself with crawling in the ceiling and looking out in the window. Because ofGregor affliction all the family members are forced to work to sustain the homely needs, they even lodge out some of the houses rooms to facilitate for the rent and food. Through this they start loathing Gregor in his new form of a bug and they neglect him where they don’t clean his room neither tends to his dietary needs (Kafka, 1996). They see him as a burden and eventually consider how they will eliminate him from the family ties. The whole community also rejects Gregor as they view his inability as the cause of the family fiscal instability. Gregor from starvation and frustration by the family mechanism of attempting to get rid of him falls and collapse. Because of the injuries and starvation Gregor dies. The family shift from the apartment and the story concludes on the parents attention focused on Grete womanhood and development, as they reallocate to their new home.   

Character Analysis

Gregor a hardworking salesman and bread winner for his family awakens to find himself transformed into a bug. The character development here from the time of Gregor mutation and the time he was fully functional human being differs. When he was a fully functional human being the bread winner of the family, he was respected and looked upon. However, after the mutation the family loath his new appearance and would no offer him a decent meal. They would discuss how they can discard him like some kind of waste. Gregor on the other part hates his occupation and views it like a petty and degrading labor with little wage. Although he is content and happy with the provision of nice housing and basic needs for his family (Sokel, 1980).

The acquired new look frightens his little sister who had much adoration on his brother and is the first to argue that the family get rid of Gregor. Later she accepts the role of feeding Gregor so that she can starve him to death. Gregor expect the same favor he had executed of feeding and providing for the family to be returned. However, the family sees him as a burden and scheme ways of getting rid of him. They actually see no use of him in his current state and only concern with the embarrassment that they feel when guest view him. The family has two opposing view they want to get rid of Gregor but also feels bad about it, however, Grete who was at the beginning caring is the champion of this drive to rid off Gregor (Nabokov, 1980).

Grete the younger sister of Gregor is the most caring person to him after the transformation. Grete is devoted and adores Gregor before the mutation and this prompts him to save for tuition payment for her violin classes. After the mutation Grete attends to Gregor needs and provision of food and cleaning of his room. Here she plays the de facto expert to the condition which has befallen Gregor. She particularly squeezes love to the parent on the concern of the new acquired form of Gregor, she does this with vigor, devotion and love. Later she just turns cold and advises the family to rid off Gregor because his new form is not productive to the family. This change of heart puzzles Gregor and robs him off his only friend whom he relates with. Grete coldness toward Gregor escalates to hate and loath, refusing even to offer him food making him go without food for days as echoed by Dragaj (1989). This is done in the event of starving Gregor to death, the parents however do not concur with their daughter idea. However, she asserts that Gregor would never be human again and is a burden to the existence of the family.

Gregor father who is a failure in business and opted to drown his sorrows in alcohol vitality is sapped. After Gregor affliction he is forced to work once again and he is filled with flinging fit of rage and hatred for his son. Together with the starvation from his daughter this acts as catalyst to the health declined the fateful demise (Nabokov, 1980).

Gregor mother is the only person who is emotionally drenched from her son's metamorphosis. The view of Gregor acquired bug shape affects his mother psychologically and deteriorates her fragile health. This occurrence also affects the father and sister relationship with Gregor (Kafka, 1996).

Conclusion

The new mutated form which Gregor woke up to find him in has caused diversion within the family ranks. The families at first are at logger head of the acquired bug form by Gregor. Each character in the story depicts some element of love and disgust for Gregor. Before the mutation they adore and love him as he is the sole beneficiary and bread winner. However, when it’s their time to cater for him they develop disgust and hate for they are forced to labor.