Franz Kafka Metamorphosis A Review

Franz Kafka was a Czech writer and one of the most influential exponent of Existentialist works. Helmut Richter was an expert essayist on literature from the Existentialism Period and he was a Marxist. Richter was astounded by the mechanics of Kafka’s writings and the way he used his words. Richter describes the work as the protagonist’s failure at what he was doing, leading to his death. The climax of the work is hinted at, quite early in the book. When Gregor wakes up one morning, he realises that he has turned into a giant cockroach. Gregor had been working as a salesman and his job demanded much determination to succeed. Kafka proves that Gregor failed in his duty as a salesman, particularly by getting transformed into a giant vermin – suggesting a strong work force. This metaphor stresses on the mediocre work that Gregor was putting in as a salesman. Richter argues that Kafka has reflected part of his personal life in the `Metamorphosis’. It can be considered as a semi-autobiographical work. The parents of Kafka were similar to that of Gregor. He was raised up in a wealthy family and his father was quite an overbearing man. Kafka’s mother was a pleasant woman, similar to that of Gregor. Another striking resemblance of the families is that of the sister. Like Gregor’s sister, Kafka’s sister was the only one in the family who was supportive of him. Richter admired the self-depiction which was included in this work. The ‘Metamorphosis’ is one of the most regularly analysed works in literature. It documents the transformation of Gregor Samsa from a man into an enormous cockroach. The work is known to inspire various exclusive interpretations. It is considered as one of the central riddles of modern literary imagination. Kafka is praised for his symbolic portrayal of alienation that he achieves through the literalised metaphor of man as an insect. In the synopsis, Gregor is initially shocked by noticing the change in his body form but settles down to start worrying about missing his train to work, lamenting in the background the ennui and the boredom created by his job and at the place of work, which he considered necessary to pay off the debts accumulated by his parents. To do a thematic analysis of the `Metamorphosis’, we need to focus on the symbolic and the psychoanalytic side or the allegorical nature of the story. The theme of alienation from humanity has to be viewed as the central theme of the story and interprets Gregor’s transformation as something of a fulfillment of a wish or as an extended metaphor. There is a deep resentment on Gregor’s part in connection with supporting his family. Gregor turns into a parasite with the desire to be nurtured by his parents in return. This takes place in an entomological sense. Gregor’s transformation is an extended metaphor which is carried from an abstract concept into concrete reality as he is trapped in a meaningless job while being isolated from real people around him. Gregor starts to imagine himself as a vermin at some point of time in his life and finally becomes one, physically. Kafka died at a young age of forty one due to tuberculosis. He could not digest the food he was eating and could not even swallow water down his throat. There is sustained realism in his work that contrasts with the fantastic occurrence of his transformation into an insect. The problematic features of this great work continue to challenge the readers even today. A single reading of this work by Kafka will not give you a total understanding and each return to the book will encourage the study of the deep meaning hidden in it. It is an existential account of the predicament of modern man. Kafka is seen as a Jewish mystic who is drawing on the Kabbalah traditions to create texts whose meaning is revealed only to those who are initiated. `Metamorphosis’ is considered by Richter as a modern kind of reworking of the `Pilgrim’s Progress’ of John Bunyan, with the characters embarking on a spiritual journey through a secular world. To understand the work, we have to understand Kafka first. He led an alienated life as an outsider in the Jewish community. He perceived human beings as being trapped by authority in a hopeless world. He was frustrated by the drudgery of supporting his family. He had to work in a meaningless bureaucratic job and this reflected in two other masterpieces of his – The Castle and The Trial. He hated being a pencil pusher. In his character build up of Gregor Samsa, he represents a specific type of behaviour and that is the fear of being alive with all the rewards and risks involved, while embracing an authentic code of behavior which finally has to accept, even after transformation, all the vicissitudes that life offers.