In the beginning of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, I felt completely disconnected from Gregor. I expected much more emotion from Gregor when he woke up to his situation, but he did not seem to care nor did he question his state of being a giant cockroach. While I did find his dedication to work to be very admirable, his lack of emotion did not allow me to fully understand him; I felt like a mere observer.
But as soon as the other characters began to reveal their reactions towards Gregor, I started to sympathize for him. I understood why the father was so abrasive and violent with Gregor. The acts of the father kicking Gregor through the door and chasing him around with apples were measures of defense. Many people would panic at the sight of a regular sized cockroach scramming about; imagine the reaction if the bug were four feet long. Frightened and unaware of the entire situation, the father was probably just trying to protect his wife and daughter.
The mother seemed to be the foil of the father; whereas the father wanted no part of Gregor, the mother was more curious and compassionate. Regardless of the fact that she was faint of heart, she desperately wanted to see Gregor. She also prevented the father from killing Gregor and she seemed to have the only connection with Gregor when she stated how Gregor would like to keep the items in his room. She gave me shimmers of hope for the situation. But as much as she had done, she, in the end, sat in the corner, shocked and asleep, and did not do anything to preserve Gregor.
I was very moved by the initial care the sister had for her brother. She gave him food and cleaned his room even against the orders of her father. Soon this became an emotionless and necessary chore; until finally, she completely neglected him and wished him gone. While reading the story, I couldn’t help but associate her with my sister. When I had broken my arm my sister seemed to care more about me. She listened more attentively and tried to help me with whatever I needed. However, this deteriorated quickly. Humorously, within a week, she was telling me to “go away.”
The ending of Metamorphosis really disappointed me. I disliked how the family was relieved when Gregor died. I understood the burden Gregor had on the family, but I wished the family at least tried harder to communicate with Gregor. In the end, Gregor tragically accepted the fact that people wanted him gone, and yet, he still “thought back on his family with devotion and love.” – (141).
I to felt completely disconnected from Gregor. I could not understand his calm reaction when he woke up a cockroach that morning. I expected Gregor to react in a more shocking way then he did. As for the family’s reaction toward Gregor, I agree they should feel afraid of Gregor at first but as time passes by and Gregor never attacks anyone, they should not have tried to hurt him again. When the father first slammed Gregor into his room, I felt that was necessary since he did not know what Gregor would do. Later on when the father throws the apples at Gregor, I feel by then he should have known Gregor would not attack anyone. If Gregor wanted to hurt anyone he would have attempted before that incident.
You bring up an interesting point: the abuse towards Gregor seems to be defensive action. I agree with that viewpoint, because it looks like Gregor’s father is terrified of what his son has become, and we could probably stretch that and say he’s not only terrified of Gregor, but terrified for his wife and daughter as well.
At the same time, we see a shift after Gregor’s father delivers the blow that ends up killing him (it’s implied that the apple core wound has gotten infected, and that is why Gregor has perished); Grete slowly becomes more hostile towards her brother, while her father becomes less and less hostile towards Gregor. That breaking point seems to indicate something–the point where Grete saw Gregor as a lost cause, and where Gregor’s father felt so guilty that he repented.
I liked your story about your sister; what’s fascinating about that is how well it relates to this story. Grete feels needed by her brother, instead of the other way around, for once in her life, and she takes on the task of caring for her once-provider admirably. However, at the breaking point, she begins to resent him, and it brings up a very probing question: Is there a point when the members of one’s family will see one as a burden more than a loved one in need of care? And if so, what does that say about unconditional, platonic love?