When I began to read the Story Metamorphosis, I was really impressed, if not shocked, by the straightforwardness of Kafka, but the second time I read the sentence stating Gregor’s metamorphosis, I started to assume “OK, this is how the story is supposed to start — a healthy guy suddenly changes to a bug” and then I guessed the story would be all about his life or his struggling to beat the obstacles, but I wasn’t able to conjecture if it will be a tragedy or another motivational story. I found it really absurd when Gregor just woke up and acted normally as if nothing had happened. I meant if I were in the same situation, I would have screamed out for help like a scared bullied child. However, Gregor did not act so. He was startled by his transformation but later on he seemed to adjust to his new appearance easily. This scenario, for me, lessens the verisimilitude of the story. I felt intense when the manager was trying to see Gregor. What would happen after the door is open? Would all of them become bugs? (I know I am trying to be funny) How would everyone including Gregor react? I was pretty sure that the family and the manager would be petrified but I was more concerned about the fates of Gregor and his family since Gregor had been the only resource of money. When I read that Gregor was mentally tortured and the relationship between him and his family diminished, especially when his sister was behaving ungratefully to her brother who had raised money to send her into a conservatory, I knew the story would be tragic.I could not find any hint that might be a sign of change for good in Gregor’s life after the metamorphosis. Maybe his mom was the only one who showed lots of sympathy when she insisted on keeping Gregor’s stuff in his room and who still regarded Gregor as a human when she referred to Gregor as “my unhappy son”, she was such a pushover that she was so easy to be persuaded when Grete argued about the removal of the furniture. Ultimately ,the relationship between son and mother faded, too. I mean it was the person (I regarded Gregor as human since he could think in a human way) that you gave birth to, how could you just cut off the love and biological bond without any mercy? Maybe in that particular society, people were living only for material gain or maybe it was because I was born and raised China where I was taught to be value my family. Speaking of money, I think it is one of the themes of the story. The importance of money might account for the feeling of burden of Gregor for his family, he was so subjugated by the income source of the family, to some degree, even more than his doom brought by his physical alternation. Also, money might explain why the family would become so nonchalant on Gregor after his change because he was no longer financially “useful” for the family. He became such an encumbrance that at the end no one cared about his death. One more thing, at the end, Grete became an attractive, independent woman who would succeed Gregor to support the Samsa Family. I appreciated the efforts she demonstrated during the hard time which was ultimately beneficial for her own metamorphosis to a independent woman , but at the time I read the sentence “And it felt like a confirmation of their new dreams and their fond intension”, I felt sorry the family. I started regarded her as a new tool to get money for the family just like Gregor( Forgive me if I am too cynical.) I think the whole story is definitely metaphorical because the story is just too absurd and unreal. I felt sort of wired when I finished it. It is definitely not a comedy but ,for me, it is not entirely tragic because the family regained vigor and hope for the future at the end and for me, a tragedy would be something like everything is gone. The story did not really appeal to me. … Continue reading
Category Archives: Mood Diaries
Does he care? Does he even see what’s happening to him? How is his work possibly more important than his current condition? Does he just not notice? For much of the first section of the story, I was struck by … Continue reading
Reading “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka has been, to say in the least, a thought provoking experience. Immediately reading the first paragraph boggled my mind and twisted my thoughts. I couldn’t fathom how a man, after waking up from a … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Kafka’s Metamorphosis helped solidify a conviction I recently gained from living in the city. I see how small the individual is. Millions take the train everyday, some wealthier than others, but almost all do the same thing. Work aimlessly. A … Continue reading
While reading Kafka’s book, Metamorphosis, I spent most of the beginning of the book frustrated with Gregor’s reaction, or lack of one, to the idea that he had transformed into a human sized cockroach overnight. For the first 10 pages, … Continue reading
To begin, I am NOT a bug person. I’m the girl who calls her dad into her room to kill a tiny bug. Hence, it’s understandable why I felt like this after finding out Kafka’s Metamorphosis was about a man-turned-cockroach, the … Continue reading
Dear Diary, Frankly, I really enjoyed the short story in its entirety. One of my few objections to the book, however, was his reaction to realizing he had became a bug. As the grogginess of sleep began to wear off … Continue reading
Kafka’s metamorphosis provoked me to reevaluate my perspective on how I view my loved ones. Would they still accept me if I was different than I am now? This story draws a parallel to the present where people hide who they … Continue reading
When I first heard of Metamorphosis, I was curious as to what this book could possibly be about. To be honest, I was surprised, and a little grossed out, that this book was about a person turning into a cockroach. … Continue reading