Gregor Samsa - Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Essay
Society was created to help and protect the people living in the society. It created rules and regulations in which to live by. These rules are meant to help the individuals living in society, and promote growth and prosperity. But these rules also have a negative affect. They constrain the individual of his or her uniqueness, and force him or her to follow the rules of society or risk being an outcast. This constringent of the true self causes the individual to have problems within the family unit. Franz Kafka shows how Gregor Samsa, and average son and brother, tries to follow society view of the perfect son, and attains this goal, but in the process cuts himself from his family in Metamorphosis. In the Sound and the Fury, Caddy totally goes against the rules of society and ends up being shunned from it and her family. Society’s suppression of the true individual causes the breakdown of the family structure, and leads the individual to doom.
In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character, undergoes a change from a human being to “gigantic insect” or “vermin.” This transformation of physical form by the main character served two purposes. It was to help Gregor realize the true purposes of his life and also help his family finally disconnect themselves from Gregor.
Gregor’s transformation into a gigantic insect was just the outer representation of Gregor’s true self. Gregor was also a bug, the daily routine of his life, would mimic that of a drone, thus this transformation showed him what he had truly become. But, this transformation gave Gregor time to think and reflect upon his life, and what its true purpose was. Gregor finally realized that all he longed for was love and acceptance by his family. When he was a bug, he was “cut off from his mother, who was perhaps dying,” Gregor longed to be near his mom and care for her, before the transformation, he did not have time to “care.” Gregor did not consider his role in the family as a caretaker anymore, it was no longer his duty to provide for them, all he could give them now was love, and that was all he ever wanted in return.
To his family, Gregor became a source of income and only a source...