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Edgar Cortez

Professor Beadle

English 115

22 October 2019

Metamorphosis Involves Criticism

Throughout the world, many people face the facts of criticism in a way where

they are either targeted for their actions or the person they truly are. Explaining, people

live and face many sides of this to the point where they are questioned for what kinds of

actions they express. As shown across society itself, it has been pushed around to the

point where everyone will acknowledge the type of act somewhere and create a conflict

against that person or thing. In ​The Metamorphosis​ describes a man named Gregor who

was a traveling salesman who had slept and awaken to a mutant cockroach insect.

Given time within his appearance towards his family it presents an unusual situation

that neither positive or negative. Along with Gregor’s transformation in the book it

shows that his family now treats him very poorly. In society, people whom may come

across Gregor are not used to the fact that he is a mutant that causes criticism and

mistreating, this does not match others expectations in the world.

The Transformation of Gregor in ​The Metamorphosis​ presents the criticism of

society due to the unusual change of himself. In other details, Gregor had changed into

a Cockroach which was uncalled for when he had woken up from his sleep. Turning

into a cockroach would definitely make a person feel uncomfortable and having it

inside of your vicinity wouldn’t be since it is very unusual for us humans. ‘Gregor's

Sister shouts at Gregor “You, Gregor!” with raised fist and piercing eyes’ (Kafka 34).
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The quote from ​The Metamorphosis​ introduces the words that Gregor’s Sister had

addressed directly to him since the metamorphosis process. It explains that Gregor

presents a whole different aspect that people are not used to. When Gregor’s Sister had

first sight on him she was in shock and couldn’t believe her own eyes. The family of

Gregor did not know what kind of transformation he went through, they all never

thought that a change like this could ever happen. As much as he wanted to defend

himself, he was unable to explain the tragedy he is dealing with. This does show the

fact that he is being treated differently within the change of himself and knows that he

is not wanted by him own family.

With the transformation, it still leaves people astonished of Gregor, it creates a

criticizing moment even when it is not his fault since he is creature afterall.. During his

life he is casually minding his own business but being targeted for what kind of mutant

he is presenting towards others from his own loved family. His Father cannot simply

take what image is being presented by his own son but in a different form. In the book

it is completely showing that every single moment upon Gregor as the insect will

present a negative detail about him. “He saw the mother run to the father, stumbling

over her loosened petticoats as they slipped to the floor one by one, and press herself

against him, uniting them in her embrace—now Gregor’s vision failed him—and with

her arms flung around his neck, she begged the father to spare Gregor’s life” (Kafka

37). The curtains open up towards the criticism in society, even from his loved ones he

is being mistreated due to the fact that they really did not know what had happened.

The society thinks that he is a predator but on the inside he is trying to mean no harm
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but is unable to speak and comply to show what kind of living creature he really is. If a

person looks or acts differently than you had last seen them and know for a fact that

they are not acting normally, I can guarantee that you will be bought with a different

response and thought process from the person.

Going further within ​The Metamorphosis, ​there are many times where it shows

the dreadful moments across Gregor’s transformation. This is the time where everyone

is exposed the fact that he is a mutant creature on the loose in the household. There are

certain emotions and feedback given each and every single day ever since his change

and it is ongoing and pretty much will not stop. In the book it says “Without being in

the least in-quisitive, she had once accidentally opened the door of Gregor’s room, and

at the sight of Gregor--who, completely taken by surprise, began to race back and forth

although no one was chasing him--she remained standing, with her hand folded on her

stomach, marveling” (Kafka 42). To argue, this quote shows Gregor’s life is presenting

a bad characteristic by his appearance. The cleaning Woman was surprised on what she

had seen and was completely unaware of what kind of stuff happening at the time in the

house. As she was there just to do her job she then harassed Gregor in the following

quote. “The cleaning Woman would shout, ‘Come over here for a minute you old dung

beetle!’ or ‘Look at that old dung beetle!’” (Kafka 42). This quote shows an accurate

description of the criticism where it creates many consequences as well. To explain, the

family of Gregor has a Cleaning Woman working in the house and admired the fact that

there was a mutant creature in a room. This is where she had gotten used to the fact that

it was pretty unusual to have in her presence. When this act happened she was
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completely shocked and did not know what else was going to come across, she would

still never expect to see anything like this in her life. This is another reason showing

how Gregor is present in the world in a negative way.

In an article online named ​Brother, Sister, Monster: Resonance and the Exposed

Body in Antigone and The Metamorphosis. ​by Champlin, Jeffrey presents the act of

criticism within society, through the change in metamorphosis about Gregor himself

there are a lot of aspects to bring. Further explanation the article brings what the author

actually thinks of the situation and with what kinds of changes are being brought within

the book. With a quote from the article online that stood out to me says “Grete offers an

aporetic demand that reminds one of the logic of the witch trial: if he were not an

animal, he would realize that he is an animal. Gregor has no way out of this logic or

test. She splits him into two, doubled into animal and human parts, and rejects him as

an animal” (1194). This shows that it indeeds presents a criticism towards the society in

a way where his own family is targeting for who he is as a person. With my

connections in life, I have a saying in this that it does criticize the people around Gregor

as the mutant cockroach which he did not choose to be. In other words being different

or changing as a person can bring a lot to those around you and yourself.

A different article online named ​THE METAMORPHOSIS ​by The American

Antiquarian and Oriental Journal​ h​ ad stood out to my attention about the

metamorphosis of changed man that was once a fighter. This fighter who was known

for his actions had once stopped his journey in an Otoe Nation. He was very known for

what he had done and was once a leader. Sooner or later there would have to be a time
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that a person will be discontinuing what they normally would do in life. This lead to a

form of metamorphosis change where the act of criticism comes along. “He spoke not

of battle: he took no part in the councils of the tribe; and no longer raised his voice in

the wild war-whoop. He had relinquished everything of which he had formerly gloried

in, for the lowly and servile duties of a female.” “His had the misery of seeing others

fill the places which he onced filled, and of knowing that, however exalted he once

might have been, and however they might have respected his motives. He was not

looked upon as one of the lowest in the nation” (237). This evidence brings along

criticism with the change of the man. He had many followers that were looking up to

him since he was a true warrior at the time and due to his actions others have been

looking at him much more differently. This said it isn’t normal for the people that

usually look up to this man and it pretty much presents a change. This is where he goes

into the phase which is called metamorphosis and presents a new creation of himself.

Through the change of Gregor Samsa, some may say that it does not present any

facts of criticism. When Gregor lives his life with the change as a mutant cockroach he

does not oppose any threat to anyone through the book of ​The Metamorphosis.​ When

the days pass Gregor is enjoying his time being different. This then argues that fact that

he is just living his own life in peace. Presenting the quote from the book, “Every day

around dust the living-room door--which he was in the habit of watching closely for an

hour or two before-hand--was opened, so that, lying in the darkness of his room,

invisible from the living room, he could see the whole family sitting at the table under

the lamp and could listen to their conversation, as it were with general permission; and
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so it was completely different from before” (Kafka 38). This shows that he is keeping

his own space and time away from his family due to the fact he already causes many

problems. Strictly, this claim does seem reasonable to argue, it is wrong because this is

one of the few times he does not create any complications and minds his own side of

his life as the creature. They say that Gregor does not try and manipulate others in a

way where they bring a bad mindset about himself. Such as the quote ‘“It has to go,”

cried his sister’(Kafka 49). shows that it does bring a lot to the family and to support it

argues that it presents criticism in ​The Metamorphosis.​ The fact that they are trying to

find a way to get rid of it. There are many more situations that target Gregor for who he

is. I believe the argument that states it does present the act of criticism in society is

much better since we can determine and find much more evidence and can support our

answers in a stronger way. Till this day if any person were to change the life of who

you are they will attack you. Throughout the future many people will be scared for who

they may be as a person and that’s what develops the insecurity among those who are

living normally.
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Works Cited

Champlin, Jeffrey. "Brother, Sister, Monster: Resonance and the Exposed Body in Antigone

and The Metamorphosis." ​MLN​, vol. 130 no. 5, 2015, p. 1179-1197. ​Project MUSE,​

Kafka, Franz, and Stanley Corngold. The Metamorphosis. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1981. Print.

THE METAMORPHOSIS. The American Antiquarian and Oriental Journal (1880-1914) 27.6

(1905): 347. Web.

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