Introduction
The narrative Metamorphosis, written by Kafka, highlights each action's significance that exemplifies the nature of interacting humans. Moreover, Gregor's transformation to become an insect has more significance than just growing more legs and shrinking in size. The Metamorphosis opening line recounts the strange events of Gregor's transformation directly and soberly. However, the contrast between the ordinary terms used to describe the change and an extraordinary event creates the notion that Kafka expects the world to be chaotic and absurd rather than orderly and rational. At the beginning of the story, Gregor embodies an absurdist tone and appear not bothered by his immediate transformation.
However, as the narrative progresses, Gregor remains immensely focused on ordinary concerns such as his family's monetary issues, physical comfort, and terminating his employment which maintains an absurdist overtone in the entire story. Moreover, the story depicts Gregor's alienation from the world around him and his family. Kafka also describes the complex nature of family relationships to highlight parents' and children's roles and responsibilities. For instance, Gregor was initially the sole provider for his parents. Gregor's parents and siblings also took care of him when he changed into a bug. In the story, Gregor thought he could escape from the daily trappings of life demands and expectations at the workplace; instead, he became a burden to his family after transforming into an insect, which also enslaves him in his room. Therefore, the themes portrayed in Kafka's narrative include alienation, freedom, and escapism, the economic effects of human relationships, family duties, personal identity, and guilt.
Theme of Alienation
Kafka's literary work The Metamorphosis portrays the world of work in the early 20th Century as an alienated place of devoid human connection and happiness. Gregor Samsa's work as a sales agent involves traveling, which makes him worried about connecting trains, meeting different people without getting acquainted with them, eating badly prepared meals and irregular meals ("The Metamorphosis Book Analysis”). Moreover, Gregor is also fed up with thinking about his work lifestyle and alienates himself from the realities surrounding him. Gregor wishes that civilization could change and get destroyed in hell. However, Gregor's thought pattern prepares him to get a mental break down and physical transformation.
Additionally, Gregor also complains of unfulfilling life and work relationships with customers and colleagues, which characterizes the turn of the 20th Century, transforming the workplace profession's nature. The speed of doing business had also increased during this period of technological advancements, scientific discoveries, and industrialization, leaving less time for socializing and eating regularly ("The Metamorphosis Book Analysis”). Furthermore, Kafka also portrays an image relating to the toll of society's modern work. Forinstance, the office manager in Kafka's work represents the plight of employees who have to meet their daily work expectations and demand.
Furthermore, the challenges of modern-day work also take a toll on Grete and her parents. For instance, when Grete and her parents are too tired to talk during dinner after a whole day of work, "The Metamorphosis: Theme Analysis”). Gregor also observes a stark contrast between today's near-silence of meal times and earlier lively conversations in the past. Moreover, Grete does not give the necessary attention and quality time that Gregor deserves, but she spends her day attending to customer's needs. Also, since Grete studies at night, she does not have the strength to cater to her parents' social needs. Therefore, Grete's work life has left her with little time for her family and herself.
The Theme of Family Ties and Duties
In Metamorphosis, Kefka delves into family relationships and their complex nature. In the entire narrative, Gregor plays the roles of a peacemaker and family caretaker. For instance, he provides for his family, doing a miserable traveling sales associate job. Gregor never saves funds to cater for his sister's conservatory and also rarely keeps any money for himself ("Themes in The Metamorphosis with Analysis”). Moreover, after turning into an insect, he never worries about his frail and aging parents who cannot get a job and earn money.
Additionally, Gregor resents his sisters and parents for ignoring him. Gregor'smixed emotions, which fluctuate from resentful to a person, are identical to Grete's, Mr. and Mrs. Samsa's feelings for Gregor. Similarly, as Grete lovers and resents her brother, Mr. Samsa simultaneously loves her son, who repels her. Gregor's family reaction after transforming into a hideous insect is also significant since in the passage, "His mother…first looked at his father with her hands clasped, then went to steps towards Gregor and collapsed right in the middle" (Kafka 31). Gregor's mother was surprised to see her son's condition.
The fact that Gregor's mother was clasping her hand is a clear indication that something awful had happened to his son. By clasping her hand, Gregor's mother could have been praying for her son's life to revert to normal. In contrast, Gregor's father was more straightforward with his message and body language. For instance, Gregor's father clenched his fist as though mentally preparing himself to fight as stated in the passage, "His father clenched his fist with a hostile expression as if he wished to push Gregor back into his room" (Kafka 32). However, despite Kafka combining the words "clenched fist" and "hostile expression" in the same sentence, he seemed as though to diminish the perceived threat of fighting by utilizing the words "wish to push" and not to punch (Kafka 32). Therefore, Gregor's father seemed to be having internal conflicts with himself since his body gestures were different and more direct than Gregor's mother.
Lastly, Gregor's sister is outwardly frightened and inwardly caring. For instance, as Gregor's sister enters her brother's room to replace Gregor's food, she does not find him, but moments late see him under the couch (Cumbe, 3). Due to utter disbelief, Gregor's sister shuts his brother's room, disgusted with what she has seen. Therefore, Gregor's sister's reaction over her brother's sudden transformation depicts a characteristic response similar to her father's inner-outer conflict despite Kefka initially portraying her as a caring family member.
The Theme of Freedom and Escapism
Most people attempt to escape from their present circumstances, only to realize they are trapped in another situation. Indeed, this true for Gregor when he tries to escape from his entrapment of family duties. Gregor's desire for freedom is evident in his dreams that one day he will quit his job and settle family debts, and his metamorphosis grants this. As such, situations beyond Gregor's control relieved him from the restrictive expectations and demands of his job, which momentarily act as a form of escape. However, ultimately, the brief escape from reality does not bring Gregor freedom since he gets permanently imprisoned in his room by family members. Therefore, when Gregor works, his job enslaves him from his family duties, but his family keeps him in bondage when he does not work. Gregor's room is held him captive, signifying the failure of escapism and improbability of freedom by relinquishing his hopes for freedom when he seems to be closer, demonstrating to people that escape is unattainable and bondage inevitable.
Moreover, when Gregor transforms into an insect, he is continuously plagued by guiltiness, which initially stems from his inability to cater to his family's needs. Gregor is also racked by guilt each time financial issues are mentioned as he listens to the conversations between his father and the entire family from his room. Furthermore, Gregor is still a member of his family despite being a visually repulsive creature, and so his family is obligated to take care of him in his current situation.The room, which isolated and caged Gregor away from his family, became another family burden. Also, the room was a revolting and mentally disturbing portion of the house requiring the services of Gregor's sister.
The Theme on Economic Effects of Human Relationships
In the Kafkas narrative, the reader learns about Gregor's family's financial situation signifying a greater understanding concerning the influence of money on the Samsa family's relationship ("Themes in The Metamorphosis with Analysis”). From Gregor's recollections and reporting of the family's conversations, readers learn that the entire family fell into a state of desperation when their father's business failed five years earlier. Also, when Gregor at first began catering to the financial needs of the family, his parents were greatly appreciative, but their gratitude diminished when their son turned into a bug since they constantly expected Gregor's assistance. Moreover, Gregor felt more alienated from his family as his parent's gratitude diminished. Also, since Gregor cannot work, he becomes an extra burden to his family, likely leading to their diminishing sympathy for him.
The Theme of Personal Identity
The second section of the story depicts how much Gregor's humanity remains. While Samsa family’s members adapt to their brother’s new identity, each family member seems to hold a different view of how much humanity remained in him ("Themes in The Metamorphosis with Analysis”). For instance, Grete assumes that his brother's milk preference remains despite transforming into a bug. As such, Grete leaves milk for Gregor, assuming that some human elements remain in him. However, Grete noticed significant changes in Gregor's dietary taste for food and that he prefers crawling about his room's walls. Now that Gregor dislikes human food, Grete slowly begins to understand that his brother is an insect. Responding to Grete's sudden change to a bug, Grete suggests removing all Gregor's belongings out of his room to provide additional space suitable to an insect and eliminating obstacles to his crawling.
However, in the story's second section, Gregor's mother protests and asserts that he will demand his possessions when her son's identity returns. Contrary to other family members' perceptions, Gregor's mother still believed that his son's identity had not changed when she referred to him as an "unfortunate son "despite his appearance (Zainab and Moinuddin).Further,Gregor's father does not indicate whether or not he regards his son's identity but attacks him as he was a wild animal when Gregory leaves his room.
The confusion concerning Gregor's identity also extends to Gregor himself when he attempts to reconcile his history and human emotions with his new body's physical urges. Additionally, Gregor's lingering humanity is seen through his emotions and thoughts. Gregor continues to feel proud of him since he catered for his family's financial needs in the past. Besides, Gregor also felt ashamed that he could no longer help his family after acquiring a new identity, but he was determined to relinquish his family from any unnecessary suffering on his account.
