There are many ways that we interpret literature. We interpret it based on how it makes us feel, or how the author’s thoughts or feelings are conveyed in the writing. We analyze the patterns or the symbols that are included throughout. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, is an emotional piece filled with humor and horrors.
When we interpret literature expressively, we are looking at the way the piece relates back to the author. In The Metamorphosis, we are handed an Easter egg hunt of symbolism that is simply waiting to be found. The Metamorphosis represents a conflict amongst a young man and his family. This struggle depicted relates to our modern day society in that it represents the struggle people face when looking for acceptance in our society. Delving deeper into this story, we witness the conflict of Gregor’s condition and his family’s response in his time of need.
One key character that we are introduced to is Gregor’s father, who’s reaction to Gregor’s condition is less than ideal. From the beginning, Gregor’s father is described as impatient and short-tempered. His temper turned violent when he chased Gregor into his room just at the sight of him, and promptly kicked him in the back. This is just one of several examples the story gives of conflict between Gregor and his father. Some writers have interpreted the conflict between Gregor and his father as a reflection of Franz Kafka’s relationship with his father.
“When Franz Kafka was a boy his father abused him. Whenever Kafka disagreed with his father or told his father that he wanted to be a writer, not a shop owner, his father got very upset.”
The Metamorphosis is not the only writing of Kafka’s that displayed tension with this father. In The Stoker, the main character, Karl was only seventeen years old when he was kicked out of his home by his father. If we are interpreting these stories as a reflection of what Kafka was going through, this says a great deal. Kafka struggled a lot with his health and his profession, but his relationship with his father appears to have been his most difficult struggle. This struggle shows through the dark plot twists that his writing often takes. In The Metamorphosis, after the physical violence between Gregor and his father, Gregor’s mental state began to deteriorate. He began to experience overwhelming pain and loss of appetite. He began to feel paranoid and more secluded than before. Gregor’s emotional experiences during this time are what eventually lead to his death. The emotions that Gregor goes through are also very common in domestic abuse situations. It is possible that this was a cry for help that Kafka subtly included in his writing.
The majority of The Metamorphosis befalls in the head of Gregor, as he wakes in his bed to find that his body has transformed into a “monstrous cockroach.” Despite this immediate alienation, Franz Kafka draws us as the reader into the story by bringing it to life. He does so in a way that makes us feel as though we are sitting in Gregor’s bedroom. Kafka paints a detailed picture not only of the bedroom, but also the setting of the story. For instance, although we are not given a specific geographic location, Kafka creates imagery with his words, like “raindrops could be heard plinking against the tin window ledges- made him quite melancholy.” (page 87) The sound of raindrops is familiar to all of us, and as we read we hear them ‘plinking’ against the edge. We can feel the melancholy atmosphere of his bedroom and through this we relate to Gregor more than we normally would have.
Looking at this story mimetically, you see that Kafka describes a bizarre situation but makes it more and more realistic by the reactions of those involved. Through his detailed descriptions, Kafka eliminates the potential for alienation by the odd situations he creates. Through this, Kafka makes an improbable scenario seem more probable. For instance, Gregor mentions one scenario where his sister is crying in the room next to him: “… knocking on the door again. ‘No,’ said Gregor. In the left-hand room there was now an awkward silence, while on the right his sister began to sob.” (page 95) The memetic description of his sister sobbing is yet another instance that we are drawn back into Gregor’s room. Not once in the story does Kafka offer us an explanation as to why this transformation happened to Gregor. He does offer us reactions to Gregor’s figure, and these reactions help us begin to find something of truth in the story. If Gregor woke up as a ginormous cockroach and no one batted an eyelash, we would question the credibility of the other characters. However, since the family appears to be so distraught, we can empathize with their emotion.
An affective interpretation of this story would reference the points in it that seamlessly transition from horror and disgust, to funny and personal. This piece aggressively grabs the reader’s attention from the start. “When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams, he found himself changed into a monstrous cockroach in his bed.” (Page 87) From the beginning, we are drawn in with shocking statements that are ever so casually dropped. This sets the tone for how the rest of the story will be told.
Kafka’s casual storytelling of grotesque and elaborate details is his signature style, and is a key factor in making his writing more enjoyable. A story about a man transforming into a large bug, and moving weirdly around his small apartment is an odd story that could turn off a large audience. The matter of fact writing style that Kafka shows us on page 87 and beyond makes his writing an enjoyable read. Kafka’s humor often shows through the irony in his pieces. The most obvious irony in this story is his reaction to his figure. He gives long and thoughtful descriptions as to his figure, but never asks how he got this way. In fact, he is much more concerned about how his family is reacting, and how he is going to get to work than he is his figure.
Finally, we would be remiss without referencing the recurrent theme of alienation that Gregor experiences from his family and within himself. As mentioned earlier, alienation is an important theme in this piece. First, the longer the piece is drawn out, the more isolated Gregor becomes from his former self. After his metamorphosis, Gregor is imprisoned in his own mind, and yet he is further from himself than ever before. His old life is untouchable despite the memories Gregor constantly reflects on. Before his change, Gregor was a traveling salesman who took great pride in being able to support his family and his family relied upon, especially his little sister. Yet, by the end of the story, those roles were completely reversed. Gregor was relying on his family, primarily his little sister, to take care of him.
Initially, we believe that this isolation, whether from himself or others is something new for Gregor. We slowly discover that he has felt isolated all along. Gregor talks about his profession often, but almost always in a negative light. For instance, he talks about the separation that developed because he worked so much, like always feeling the need to lock the door, and never feeling quite at home.
Early on, we see Gregor as being excited to take the job. He was full of pride in his ability to take care of his family. However, we see how this eventually began to put a barrier between Gregor and his family. He talks about the distance between he and his family which he maintains was caused by his family’s demand for more and more from Gregor. He believed they were no longer grateful for his generosity but entitled to it. Gregor’s initial isolation is intensified when he wakes up as a giant bug. There is barely any reference to Gregor leaving his room after his change and he has even less contact with other people. Even when there is contact with others, it is strictly with his family and no one else. The few times Gregor spent time with his sister it appeared as though she were intruding on his personal space. They never spoke.
The Metamorphosis is an emotional piece filled with horrors and ironies of many kinds. When reading this piece, it was a rollercoaster of emotions from disgust to sadness. The writing of Franz Kafka is intense and yet still enjoyable, filled with a plethora of analysis and recurring patterns. It does not matter whether you look at this piece mimetically, expressively, affectively, or formally, you are sure to be intrigued form beginning to end.
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