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Dalton Resor

Dr. Beadle

English 115

27 March 2019

Metamorphosis (Revision)

The novel ​Metamorphosis​,​ written by Franz Kafka, is a story which is read as an allegory

in the form of transformation. Metamorphosis is a story in which pushes the human psyche of the

protagonist (Gregor) by putting the individual through extreme, ​bizarre​, “Kafkaesque” scenarios.

Kafka does this to as a way to describe the scenarios we deal with in reality through the work of

fiction. The transformations play a key role, which in the story represent an allegory. This work

is intended to enlighten on the things we put value towards in the things we do; such as jobs,

work, school, and education. The more you “do”, the more value your life has in the social ranks

of society, because not only does it give one the social status of a hardworking man, but it also

gives an individual a purpose, just like how working to support his family gave Gregor not only a

meaning or a defined value, but it gave him a sense purpose and fulfillment despite the fact he

did not enjoy it. ​Vice​ versa, when you take away a man’s ability to work, you are taking away

their purpose and meaning in life, thus creating a paradox of perpetual unhappiness and a

continuous void of emptiness not because they want to work, but simply because it has become a

ritual to them that has become almost impossible to break. ​Humanity’s​ work has become chains

that has bounded them, crawling to the dependency of the work of their own hands. Yet, this is

one of the themes in the novel, but it is the transformation that guides us to how the novel is

symbolic to these allegories.

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The novel is an allegory to how society views social class/ status. Gregor’s physical

transformation is symbolic of the lower class, non wealthy, and filthy. Kafka expresses this by

stating, “No matter how hard he threw himself onto his right side, he always rocked onto his

back again” (Kafka 1). In this case, this quote represents the position his family is in, stuck.

Gregor is incapable of getting up, only ending up on his back once more just like his family's

financial problems, stuck. Similarly the first thing Gregor thinks about is his job showing the

amount of value he puts into work because of his current financial position, ​"I've got the torture

of traveling, worrying about changing trains, eating miserable food at all hours, constantly seeing

new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate" (Kafka 1). This leads Gregor unhappy,

and as I’ve said, Gregor is not unhappy because he wants to work but because he feels as though

it must be done despite the fact that he not only hates his job, but also ignores the fact that he is a

bug. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting, desiring, or even just having to

go to work, it is a necessity to have a job to sustain a financially stable life. Therefore, it is not

terrible for Gregor to feel like he needs to go to work, but he is ignoring the clear problem; which

is... he is a bug. It is ok to have a desire, but it is another thing to be completely blind to the

factors in which it takes to accomplish such tasks.

The Lodgers are the conformists of which the family abides to. Throughout the story, the

family and Gregor are helplessly put into a position to be criticized by the lodgers because of

Gregor’s physical transformation. Lodgers represent the high class and cleanliness in society,

judging those who do not follow their own ways, resenting the poor or meek. This is shown in

the novel through the quote, “​These serious gentlemen – all three had long beards, as Gregor was

able to register once through a crack in the door – were obsessed with neatness, not only in their
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room, but since they had, after all, moved in here, throughout the entire household and especially

in the kitchen” (3.9).​ leaving those who rebel or the ones who are left behind culture are

scrutinized by the masses and their reputation and lives are ruined for being left behind or being

part of the norms of society. As a result many, such as Gregor’s family are forced to act in such

ways, as to follow society. This is shown through the novel during the lodger’s visit. When the

lodgers came and the sister was playing, it was Gregor who honored the playing, it was Gregor

who was satisfied with the crumbs, while the Lodgers/ society took in the gratifying pleasure of

the higher class or were treated with higher respect. Those who follow are rewarded for

following only to inevitably, like the rest, be scratching for the most relevance. Yet, the irony

behind this is you do not need to be poor to be sad or suffer, you do not need to be rich to be

happy, nor do you need to be poor to be poor. One can be wealthy but sad, poor but happy, or

wealthy but poor. The family killed and became what Gregor had metamorphosed into in the

wealthier sense. They themselves had became the vermin of righteousness and morality. In other

words Gregor’s family became wealthy, or rather found their wealth after Gregor’s death, which

then symbolized the sacrifice for the sake of wisdom. Which was a reference to Adam and Eve

and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. When this happens, the result of Gregor’s death is

the family’s wealth increasing. If it had not been for Gregor continuing to work, the family

would have never found out the saved up sum of money. Gregor was sacrificed for the sake of

wisdom and wealth. The family had no directly profited from Gregor’s death, only leaving

Gregor nothing in return. In a biblical sense, Gregor took on the sins and ignorance of his own

family, which did not benefit him, but benefited his family (the sinners).
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Metamorphoses ​is a novel that shows symbolism representing a historical time. What

makes the novel important is what makes it revolutionary; and that is the message. The novel

teaches us how people are treated different and judged based on social class. Gregor quotes, “​‘O
​ h

God,’ he thought, ‘what a grueling job I've picked! […] I've got the torture of traveling, worrying

about changing trains, eating miserable food at all hours, constantly seeing new faces, no

relationships that last or get more intimate.’” (1.4).​ One might argue, well do not overthink the

novel. Although the novel is non-realistic/Kafkaesque, the intent of the kafkaesque genre is it

symbolises and explores the human psyche in the extremes. It is kind of like saying, do not over

think Frankenstein, it is only a novel or movie that features a dystopian monster. Granted, you

can read a novel at face value, but you cannot take away the true meaning of the

Metamorphosis.​“​Looking beyond Kafka's narrative strategies, this paper explores yet another

factor that contributes to the wide-ranging interpretations of Metamorphosis, which lies in the

very moment meaning is created through the act of reading” (Yeon-Soo Kim) meaning that the

interpretation of the reader is created when reading the novel. One might also argue why does

any of this matter, and why focus on this.​ ​ The key lies within the historical context and Kafka’s

life. Kafka had a busy job working as an insurance officer. In essence what was happening with

his life at that time is what is happening today. ​People are given a set value in the social class

and judged, even criticised based on there political status​, rather than the individuals themselves.

The ​Metamorphosis ​shows that one can interpret the novel as an allegory. Kafka gives

the reader the ability to interpret the novel in different ways.​ According to Yeon-Soo Kim,

“​Looking beyond Kafka's narrative strategies, this paper explores yet another factor that

contributes to the wide-ranging interpretations of Metamorphosis, which lies in the very moment
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meaning is created through the act of reading” (Yeon-Soo Kim). ​This means that the novel is

also open to interpretation, but that does not mean there is no clear interpretation of what the

novel means; but rather, the readers are the ones of whom define their own meaning of the novel,

and it will be correct so long as they have evidence to back it up, and so long as they understand

the context of the story. With that said, ​morality plays a key in the novel. To disregard the basic

human moral compass is to lead an argument void of its own substance. "What is most difficult

here is to bring this vagueness to expression correctly and unfalsified" (Andre Furlani) ​saying

that it is difficult to decipher the correct answer to what the meaning of the novel is​ because there

so many ways of interpreting Franz Kafka’s novel.​ Though, it seems to be clear that there is a

clear allegorical meaning to the novel​, which describes the society/culture that Franz Kafka lived

in.

​ Gregor’s transformation is the allegory of the social class. His transformation brought him to

his inevitable end and his family to prosper, resembling Christ, the sacrifice for wisdom. The

working man sacrificed everything was sacrificed in the end. ​This is shown when an apple is

lodged in Gregor’s back and eventually dies, representing the sacrifice of wisdom.​ The things

we as humanity puts value towards. Work, school, education, but have we ever stopped to ask

ourselves why, or what is the purpose of this. It is these things that we indulge in from the

beginning without thought or control. The things we praise are meaningless and so are the things

that bring us there. When life ends, or you realize that all we acquire in the world is meaningless,

will you then go out for more or will you be content with what you have? Will you have restless

contentment and humbly strive for greater things, or stay where you are now because you find

that there is nothing more to do. In the end all that we put value towards, the celebrities we
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adore, the people we sanctify in the media mean nothing because it is wordly, and thus worldly

things are never eternal.

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Works Cited

Kafka, Franz, and Stanley Corngold. The ​Metamorphosis​. Toronto: Bantam Books,

1981. Print.

Furlani, Andre. "Kafka's Metamorphosis." ​Canadian Literature​, no. 226, 2015, p. 150.

Literature Resource Center​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A462787758/LitRC?u=csunorthridge&sid=LitRC&xid=c4dddc87​.

Accessed 2 Apr. 2019.

Kim, Yeon-Soo. "Reading reality into the fantasy of Kafka's Metamorphosis."

Trans-Humanitites Journal,​ vol. 9, no. 1, 2016, p. 171+. ​Expanded Academic ASAP​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A493448532/EAIM?u=csunorthridge&sid=EAIM&xid=cfcd8dc0​.

Accessed 28 Mar. 2019.

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