Insights
Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis begins with a shocking and surreal event: Gregor Samsa, a
traveling salesman, wakes up to find himself transformed into a gigantic insect-like creature.
Despite this terrifying transformation, Gregor’s immediate concern is not for his monstrous
appearance but for the practical inconveniences it causes. He worries about missing work and
how his boss might react. This initial reaction reveals Gregor’s deep sense of responsibility and
his identity being closely tied to his role as the family’s primary breadwinner.
Gregor’s family, consisting of his father, mother, and sister Grete, depend on his income to
maintain their middle-class lifestyle after the father’s business failed. Gregor’s transformation
into an insect symbolizes a grotesque physical manifestation of his alienation and sense of
entrapment in a thankless job and his dutiful role within the family. The family members react to
his transformation with a mixture of horror, confusion, and revulsion. At first, they hope this
situation will resolve itself, but soon they isolate Gregor, locking him in his room and allowing
Grete to become his primary caregiver.
The family initially struggles with the loss of Gregor’s income, forcing them to take on jobs to
survive. Mr. Samsa finds work as a bank attendant, Mrs. Samsa takes in sewing, and Grete
begins working as a salesgirl. As the family’s circumstances become more strained, their attitude
toward Gregor shifts. Initially, Grete shows compassion, cleaning Gregor’s room and feeding him,
though she becomes increasingly resentful as time passes. Her earlier attempts to accommodate
Gregor’s new needs, such as clearing furniture to give him more space, turn into neglect and
disdain. She no longer views Gregor as her brother but as a burden.
In contrast, Gregor feels a growing distance from his family. Confined to his room and unable to
communicate, he begins to see their contempt and fear. His physical transformation becomes a
symbol of his emotional isolation and rejection. Despite this, Gregor still yearns to connect with
his family, especially with his sister. He takes great pride in her violin playing and fantasizes
about sending her to the conservatory once he is able to work again, showing how deeply
ingrained his sense of responsibility to his family remains, even in his tragic state.
However, the family’s resentment intensifies, reaching a climax when Gregor leaves his room one
night to listen to Grete play the violin for three boarders staying in the house to help with
expenses. When the boarders catch sight of him, they are horrified and immediately cancel their
arrangements. This incident pushes the family to the breaking point. Grete finally declares that
the family must get rid of Gregor, claiming he is no longer the brother she once knew.
Overwhelmed by this rejection, Gregor retreats to his room and, over the next few days,
succumbs to neglect and his own despair, eventually dying from exhaustion and the lack of will
to live.
Gregor’s death comes as a relief to his family. After discovering his lifeless body, they feel a
sense of release from the burden his existence has imposed on them. In the story’s final scene,
the family takes a trip outside the city, discussing plans for a brighter future now that Gregor is
gone. The story ends with Mr. and Mrs. Samsa realizing that their daughter Grete has blossomed
into a young woman, ready for marriage and a new life. This symbolic rebirth of the family stands
in stark contrast to Gregor’s tragic demise.
