BODY AND MIND
Gregor wakes up one morning and realises that he has transformed into a big insect.
But he is still a human being at heart and mind
1. He retains the human congnitive ability to understand language, his family thinks
he does not understand what they are talking about, but he does.
On a larger level the metamorphosis also presents a social critique. Our society often judges
people on the basis of their physical appearance
2. Overlooking a person’s nature
3. It is the same way how we perceive butterflies as beautiful and want to be near
them, whereas moths are repulsive because they are ugly.
Disconnect between body and mind
1. His mind knows that his favourite drink is milk, but his new insect body finds the milk
distasteful.
2. When he listens to grete playing the violin, he is moved. He thinks that if he was an
animal, would music have such an impact on him?
FAMILIAL RESPONSIBILITY
There is a reversal of the provider-dependent relationship in the story
Initially the family is dependent and Gregor is the provider, later he is dependent and his family
provides for him
Gregor has worked very hard to pay off his parent’s death. He Is a responsible son and
brother
He has sacrificed his personal life for them and hasn’t taken a sick day in five years.
Gregor took care of them but when it was their turn they shunned tgeir duty, did not even
get proper medical treatment for him and were more concerned about their own livelihood.
PREDICAMENT OF A MIDDLE CLASS MAN
How patriarchy and traditional gender roles affect the mental health of men
The metamorphosis can be seen as a metaphor for the deteriorating mental health of
middle-class men who work relentlessly to provide for their families.
After he becomes incapable of earning his family starts to neglect him.
On the morning of the metamorphosis they defend gregor’s absence when the chief clerk
comes to their doorstep.
EXPLOITATION OF THE WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE- The chief clerk tells him that his job might
be in danger if he takes a day off work
They have a very brief grieving period after his death and soon resume their normal life.
He feels shameful and guilty when his old parents and young sister have to enter the
workforce to keep the family afloat.
FATHER- bank clerk
MOTHER- worked for an undergarment manufacturer
GRETE- salesgirl
They take on three lodgers to supplement their income
CHANGE IN FAMILY’S ATTITUDE
They are horrified to look at him
His father tries to force him back to his room using a cane and a newspaper, like the way we
get rid of insects.
He pushes Gregor inside the door, which hurts him as he no longer fits through the door
comfortably.
His mother does not see him for two months
His father throws apples at him to scare him way, one of the apples gets embedded in his
body and causes massive pain. It serves as a perpetual reminder of his family’s indifference
and changed attitude.
In the end, when the lodgers refuses to pay-
1. grete loses her temper and asks her parents to get rid of this creature.
2. She says that it will cause her parents’ death.
3. She says that if he cared about them, he would have left himself.
4. She locks the door to gergor’s room and he dies of guilt
Soon after his death his father says let bygones be bygones
1. They leave the house and take the tram to the countryside.
2. They talk optimistically about their future careers and their plans to move away from
their current apartment, which Gregor picked, to a cheaper and better located one.
3. Grete's mother and father both realize that Grete looks mature and beautiful and it's
time for them to find her a husband.
4. As they arrive at their stop, Grete stands and stretches. This last act symbolises that
Grete has also moved on, the person that Gregor probably cared for the most.
GRETE AND GREGOR
They shared a very deep sibling bond and always looked out for each other
When grete sees that gregor no longer eats conventional food, she secretely gets him rotten
food to suit his new palette.
He also hoped that he would be able to afford to fung grete’s violin studies at the
conservatorium.
She moves the furniture around as gregor started to like walking on the ceiling.
When she is playing violin for the lodgers, he wants to come closer to her and tell her how
much he lover her playing.
He thinks when he will tell her his desire to send her to the conservatorium, she will cry and
kiss him.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ELEMENTS
He studied law and got a job at an insurance company at age 24, though he resented having
to work to pay the bills.
Kafka's letters and journals reveal that he was tortured by a sense of his own inadequacy,
sexually and socially, though to others he came off as quiet and intelligent.
He had several passionate love affairs but never married.
Today the term "Kafkaesque," has come to signify the frustrations of modern existence.
MODERNIST NOVEL
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The Absurd: The central event, Gregor's transformation into a giant insect, is
completely illogical and unexplained. This absurdity reflects the anxieties of
the modern world, where traditional values and meaning seem to have
crumbled.
Alienation: Gregor feels profoundly isolated, both from his family who fear
and disgust him, and from society that wouldn't accept him in his new form.
This alienation is a common theme in modernist literature, reflecting the sense
of disconnection experienced by many in a rapidly changing world.
Fragmentation: The story doesn't offer a clear resolution or catharsis.
Gregor's inner world and his physical form are fragmented, mirroring the
fragmented nature of modern life.
Existentialism: The story doesn't provide easy answers about Gregor's fate
or the meaning of his transformation. It forces the reader to grapple with
existential questions about identity, purpose, and the nature of being human.
Stream of Consciousness: While not the main narrative style, Kafka
occasionally dips into Gregor's thoughts and feelings, giving us a glimpse into
his deteriorating mental state. This technique reflects the modernist interest in
exploring the inner world of the character.
SYMBOLS
THE PRINT OF THE LADY IN THE MUFF
The first thing he sees on the morning of his metamorphosis.
It serves as a reminder of his humanity and past life, does not let his family remove it from
his room.
It is an advertisement- it reminds Gregor of his job as a salesman.
