Theme: "Expressionism, Surrealism, Existentialism, and

Freudianism in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

Existentialism
Believes that everyone is responsible to determine their own life’s purpose and meaning.
A person who tries to find meaning in his or her life by accepting existence is an existentialist.
Existentialists make decisions based on things that have meaning to them and only them, ignoring
the “rational” Meaning is not given to humans by nature, but it is actually created by the
individual, by their actions and interpretations.
How existentialism relates to Franz Kafka’s novella “The Metamorphosis”
Gregor wakes up one morning and realizes that he turned into a bug. What Franz Kafka was
symbolizing in this situation is that an individual makes him/herself a certain way by how they
think and believe about themselves. Gregor probably felt like a bug because he felt that his life
was insignificant and he was probably in the nadir of his lifetime, and THAT probably made him
into a bug.

Freudianism
Rationality.-Freud's model of the mind drastically reduced the scope and power of reason. In
Freud's view, reasoning occurs in the conscious mind, but this is only a small part of the whole.-
The mind also contains the hidden, irrational elements, which lie outside of conscious control,
drive behavior, and motivate conscious activities.-These structures call into question humans'
ability to act purely on the basis of reason, since lurking motives are also always at play.
Transparency of Self- Another common assumption in pre-Freudian philosophy was that people
have immediate and unproblematic access to themselves. Emblematic of this position is René
Descartes' “I think, therefore I am". - Central aspects of a person remain radically inaccessible to
the conscious mind (without the aid of psychotherapy), which undermines the once
unquestionable status of first-person knowledge.
Freudianism in the Metamorphosis
According to Freud’s ideas, Gregor’s turning into a giant bug was a result of his mind, but he did
not know it.

Expressionism: a technique of distorting objects and events in order to represent them as they
are perceived by a character in a literary work 1- it relies on how one perceives it- adding an
abstract aspect to a particular piece of literature to add depth to the story and the emotions
conveyed The Metamorphosis expressionism: the transformation of Gregor Samsa into “an
enormous bug.”
Images of the Metamorphosis
The Metamorphosis – Was it merely a Physical Change?
This transformation is ironical, since even though he has morphed physically, his life does not
change emotionally. Prior to his metamorphosis, he worked as a salesman, and by his own
admittance, he was dissatisfied with it with one of the reasons being that his interactions with
the people involved were never cordial. Even after changing into a bug, he fails to convey his
emotions or thoughts to members of his family, which is evident since his ideas were in
contrast to his sister, Grete’s pertaining to removal of furniture from his room. This lack of
communication in both circumstances, prior to and after his metamorphosis forms a central
theme of the story. Kafka had also asked not to provide an image of the bug to supplement the
text, since he felt it would reduce the impact of the text. Therefore, rather than emphasizing on
the mechanism of his “metamorphosis,” Kafka uses it as a connotation for his imprisoned life.
The Distortion of Reality
A vital trait of Expressionism is the distortion of reality. Gregor’s metamorphosis was a
deformation of his identity as a human, which was his reality. The entire aspect of a human
transforming into a bug is extremely abstract, and to fathom Gregor’s feelings, attaching an
emotional perception to the text is extremely vital.
The Clash between Authority and the Individual
The conflict between the individual and authority also forms a key aspect of Expressionism.
Gregor and Kafka had similar life experiences. The conflict between the individual and authority
also forms a key aspect of Expressionism. The novella describes the strenuous relationship
between Gregor and his father, who went to the extent of fatally attacking his son. This was a
reflection of Kafka’s own life since the bond he shared with his father lacked depth or
understanding. This not only suggests that Gregor’s life was a reflection of Kafka’s own life, but
also the central role of emotions in the whole story. Kafka delves into the psyche and emotions
of Gregor and how he adjusts to them, without inclusion of any other superfluous details.

Surrealism
This was the style of literature and art that visualized sub-consciousness and fantasy. These
visions were inspired from dreams and nightmares. Feature elements of surprise and
juxtaposition of images that would usually not go together. (Non sequitur)
The Metamorphosis & Kafka
The Metamorphosis is a reflection upon Franz Kafka’s life. His father was the one who would
make him feel as if he was making something out of himself. Although his passion was in
journalism, his father wanted him to become a lawyer with a wide range of job possibilities and
financial benefits. Kafka felt trapped and lived in guilt for continuing his work as a journalist
until his death.
The Metamorphosis: Gregor was the one who supported his family as a reluctant traveling
salesman. After the metamorphosis: His parents did not work, and his sister, Grete had to
sacrifice her studies to support the family. Isolation: Under large furniture he hid and his true
human identity was buried inside the shell of a bug. Even his family could not bear to face him.
Gregor’s father and the apples thrown, one penetrated
Gregor’s father and the apples thrown, one penetrated. Kafka’s conflict with his father and the
insults he had to deal with; he felt as vulnerable and worthless as Gregor. The image of a
person turning into a bug (possibly a cockroach) is a surreal image of isolationism, vulnerability,
and inferiority.