Dear Diary,
I read Metamorphosis in high school, so when it was assigned in class I already knew the main character turns into a bug. However, Gregor’s reaction to his transformation still surprised me. Gregor woke up in the morning, took a look at his many legs and thought maybe he should go back to sleep. His nonchalant reaction almost confused me because I thought maybe he was dreaming the whole thing. Even as a bug, the first thought in Gregor’s mind was his annoying job; the idea of having to go to work bothered him even more than turning into a bug. Gregor thought of all the different excuses he could use to not go to work before taking a full look at his changed body. When Gregor described his 100 frail legs, I was grossed out because I absolutely hate bugs. This is how I imagined Gregor, but instead of being entirely a bug I thought he was a man from the waist up:
After reading Metamorphosis, I realized why Gregor turned into a bug. Most people don’t value bugs and think they are irritating or annoying. I feel like Gregor’s family didn’t value him as much as they should have. He supported his family by working at a job he hated with a boss he hated. I couldn’t help, but feel sorry for Gregor because his own mother couldn’t even stand to look at him once he turned into a bug.
I was surprised that Gregor’s sister was willing to let Gregor die in the end because she couldn’t stand him anymore. I thought the father would be first to give in because his sister was the only one in the family that tried to help Gregor. If Gregor could speak he would “thank her for everything she had to do for him” (Kafka, 115). When his sister finally admitted that she has had enough of him, I imagined Gregor feeling depressed all alone in his room. When Gregor hears his sister shut and lock his door, he makes no attempt to move and try to open it. He accepts death because he believes he has no reason to live anymore since he can’t support his family or take care of himself.
When the family walks into Gregor’s room to find him dead on the floor, I imagined this song playing. For his family, Gregor’s death was bittersweet. They were sad to have lost a son, but glad to have one less worry in their lives.
I completely agree with how you felt to Gregor’s reaction to turning into a cockroach. In fact, I even described it as a state of nonchalance, just like you stated it was a “nonchalant reaction.” It was definitely a confusing and strange way for someone to react to becoming a bug one morning, and I’m sure you, like me, would respond in a much different way! I like the way you expressed why you thought Gregor transformed into a bug, I hadn’t even thought of it like that. The way you explain it – him not being valued as much as he should – could definitely be what Kafka was thinking when he wrote this. I definitely also felt sorry for him, especially considering how his family acted towards him and eventually wanted him dead.
I thought that the transformation was a dream at first as well. There was no background story to it and Gregor’s “nonchalance”, as you put it, made me picture him in a dream-like state.I think your reasoning for why Gregor was turned into a bug is possible. Bugs are considered insignificant and irritating creatures, which is how Gregor was eventually perceived as by his family. I do not believe that the family was sad to have lost a son, and a brother, at the time of Gregor’s death. I feel that they already set in their minds that Gregor was gone once they witnessed his transformation. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief within the household at the passing of Gregor. I sympathize with him because he had done nothing but cared for his family and ultimately they proved undeserving of his kindness.