Existentialism In The Book Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka As The Individual Existence, Freedom and Choice

Categories: The Metamorphosis

Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice. The uniqueness and isolation of personal experiences in hostile or indifferent worlds. The book 'Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka is based on existentialism. One of the main perspective is alienation, which is be demonstrated by the relationship between Gregor and his family, his life before and after metamorphosis. In pervert, this abitrary change makes us evaluate Gregor's role as a symbol of the Existential hero. Having been written from an existentialist viewpoint because of its emphasis on loneliness, isolation, and the autonomy of one's existence.

Gregor's mundane reaction toward his transformation is rather odd. Instead of worrying over the fact that he's a bug, he's busy fretting about missing his train to work. However, we see that Gregor is the most unselfish, unappreciated , and most deserving of respect character of the story. Gregor took over his father's responsibility because his father could not work. Gregor sacrifices everything to provide for his family.

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After Gregor's metamorphosis into a roach, he is worried more about his family than himself. Yet, Gregor's reaction toward his transformation allows him to be open to some of the other features of his new body. The situation he's been thrust into forces him to think about his existence in a way that he wouldn't be able to if he were living how he used to everyday.

At first, the story seems to be confusing and ridiculous, but toward the end of the story, the true meaning of the tale becomes clearer.

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It is obviously a metaphorical device Kafka uses when Gregor is transformed into an insect. This way to serve as a symbol. Generally, insects are industrious creatures who lead simple lives wherein they have one basic task that they must carry out. Gregor has been working as a traveling agent, and he has not missed a single day of work in five years. He knows that his family is in a severe debt, and he has set his mind to paying it off. As Gregor works more and more, he becomes less attached to his parents. Gregor has sacrificed going out, having friends, and having time for himself in order to give his family a better life. Meanwhile, the Samsa family just sits around at their home and wait for Gregor to provide.

The unselfishness can be seen most in Gregor's work ethic. He is the only member of his family to have a job, believing that he is the only one able of holding one. Although, once Gregor is no longer human and thus unable to work, the second 'metamorphosis' begins to take place. Throughout the story, transformation is a very important topic not only for Gregor but also for his sister Grete. Even if Gregor was a bug, even if he had a huge bug body, Grete seems to have only one person who care about her brothers. And all three other members of his family must now get jobs. His father comes out of retirement to work as a bank messenger. He can no longer be the 'couch potato' he had been for the past five years. In order to earn additional money, his mother does all she can, sewing clothes to later sell. Lastly, possibly the character who changed the most is Grete takes a job as a salesgirl.Each character goes through a certain transformation. For Gregor, it’s his transformation into a bug. But for his family they transform into harder workers. Everything Gregor did to provide for his family was unappreciated, showing his transformation was a necessary sacrifice for the family to survive.

Gregor lived in an absurd world full of suffering and peculiarity. After Gregor inexplicably woke up one morning as a 'monstrous vermin,' he remarked that he 'saw no way of bringing peace and order into this mindless motion' and that all his efforts to go about his daily routine were for naught'. If Gregor's predicament is taken to be symbolic of mankind's, then this effort indicates the fundamental struggle of each individual against the alien and hostile world.

Gregor's family is impressed with his ability to provide for them. He is making enough money to have hired a servant. He is even thinking about sending his sister to the conservatorium to enhance what he believes to be musical talents. And sure, he's a little disgusted in the beginning, but as he warms up to some of his new skills, he experiences pleasure, happiness, even a Zen-like state of empty contemplation. Even when he's tormented by anxiety, the natural impulses of his insect body afford him some relief. Right before his death, he feels all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings about his family. He's traveled – or scuttled – far from the disgruntled salesman we get at the start of the story. Despite his pathetic condition, he seems more human and humane than the other characters in the story. Family variations in deformation of Kafka In 'deformation' of Franz Kafka, despite the dramatic physical change, the real nature of Gregor Samsa is negligible. Gregor's life before pervertation was limited to working and taking care of the family. As a travel salesman, Gregor has had a long and difficult job and did not have much time to experience 'life'.Gregor is always ready to go out on his rounds as early as possible, never taking breaks. When he returns from his rounds, the other employees are still eating breakfast. In all of the five years he has worked for his father's creditor, he has never once been absent.

Updated: Feb 02, 2024
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Existentialism In The Book Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka As The Individual Existence, Freedom and Choice. (2024, Feb 07). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/existentialism-in-the-book-metamorphosis-by-franz-kafka-as-the-individual-existence-freedom-and-choice-essay

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