006532-0004

Works in Translation
Reflective Statement

How was your understanding of cultural and contextual

considerations of the work developed through the interactive oral
discussion?

Through the first Interactive Oral, I am now able to view Franz Kafka’s work,
The Metamorphosis, with a larger cultural understanding of the philosophical
movements that took place and the effect on his works. Before learning about
Modernism, the culture surrounding Kafka did not concern me, rather I only
interpreted his work through an understanding of his personal life. Philosophical
movements, such as Modernism, gave way to a new culture and a new take on
writing that had never been seen before. Modernism shows a radical break from
earlier philosophical movements and instead creates an infatuation with oneself, a
sort of hatred toward the individual. This can be seen in Kafka’s work, The
Metamorphosis, within the first pages. Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself as a
bug. When he goes to touch himself, he pulls back, feeling disgusted at his state of
being. Samsa also conveys a sense of guilt and dislike for himself throughout the
novella. The new obsession with currency and impersonal relationships Modernism
brought into the twentieth century also greatly impacted the characters of Kafka’s
creation. Samsa complains mainly about his job as a traveling business man,
showcasing the idea of detached beings who have no connection to one another.
Industrialization along with rapid growth of cities elevated the ideas of money and
profit during the Modernist movement. Gregor Samsa portrays his boss and firm with
a great grandness, lending itself well to the idea of industrialization and the growing
importance of business culture. Currency proves to be a recurring object of the
novella, as Samsa feels burdened by the job of earning the income for his family.
Kafka is able to incorporate these radical, new views through Gregor Samsa’s
character, categorizing The Metamorphosis as a piece of Modernist literature.
The Interactive Oral allowed me to connect Kafka’s work to a larger
philosophical progression, rather than interpreting it as a piece solely influenced by
personal experience. I am now aware that the Modernist movement and Kafka’s
personal life worked together to create The Metamorphosis. Kafka as a writer,
projects himself, as well as his surroundings into his work, demonstrating an
interconnectedness between internal and external struggles he faced. Linking these
two ideas together, I understand Kafka’s attraction to dark literature and distortion.
Continuous differing perspectives of Kafka’s piece not only aid my understanding of
the reading, but also challenge previously thought interpretations, proving beneficial
for analysis.

Word Count: 400

006532-0004 Page 1
006532-0004
Works in Translation
Written Assignment

Punishment Forcing Prosperity in The Metamorphosis

As the seasons change and the leaves transform, the world is altered. Nothing
remains static. The world and all living beings on it are unfathomably dynamic. Oddly,
change is the great paradox of life, as one of the few things that is certain, yet
completely unknown. Change holds constancy, it can always be counted on. Change is
confusing, but change is needed for prosperity and success. In the novella The
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, each character demonstrates a pivotal change. Kafka
presents Gregor Samsa’s transformation as a punishment essential to the Samsa
family’s growth and Gregor’s happiness.
Gregor exhibits a physical and mental transformation that is necessary to his
personal growth. During the revelation of Gregor’s physical state, the encompassing
ideas of business, money, and burdens of his life detach him from the resonance of his
transformation, forcing his attention to a stress that never wanes. Gregor’s thoughts are
not focused on the astonishing, fictional fact that his body has transformed, which one
would have expected to hold his entire attention and produce more of an emotional
response. Even after the realization of his state, he frets, “what a grueling job I’ve
picked...I’ve got the torture of traveling” (Kafka 3). During the early twentieth century,
industrialization was on the uprise, resulting in an emphasis on modernization and
money in determining success. While human, Gregor is the only one in his family who
works to support and pay off the family’s prior debt, while the rest of the family is free to
do as they please. His family did not appreciate his support whilst having it, and Gregor
had little to show for the countless hours and crushing stress of his job. Kafka writes,
“Gregor earned enough money to meet the expenses of the entire family...They had just
gotten used to it....the money Gregor brought home every month -- he had only kept a
few dollars for himself” (Kafka 20-21). To maintain healthy, the self needs care and
reflection, but Gregor puts all of his existence into providing for his family, yet he does
not care for himself. The deprivation of this care results in self-neglect and depression;
therefore, the evolution of Gregor’s physical transformation into an insect is essential to
the quality of his life. The state of an insect transforms Gregor into an anomaly among
his family, and his existence is contained to his room. This exile might be considered
punishment, except that this is virtually Gregor’s wish. His punishment renders him
unable to go to work or communicate, which forces Gregor to focus on himself. By being

006532-0004 Page 2
contained to his room, Kafka uses irony to illustrate the relief Gregor feels through his
punishment. Gregor inherently wishes to rid himself of the burdens of traveling, and this
wish becomes true through his punishment and subsequent transformation, which
inhibits his ability to leave.
Once Gregor’s physical state solidifies, his mental state transforms to reflect the
thoughts of an insect, which breeds a happiness unattainable of a depressed, self-
neglecting human. Gregor’s vision becomes less human, showing the true conformation
to an insect’s mind by his inability to see to his former field of view. Gregor reflects,
“...the hospital opposite, which he used to curse because he saw so much of it was now
completely beyond his range of vision” (Kafka 21). Gregor’s unhappiness with the
exterior world prior to transformation is projected through Kafka’s verb choice, “used,”
which portrays the former curses made by Gregor. However, after transforming he is
unable to see the building, powerless to curse or feel the unhappiness associated with
the hospital. The mental evolution from unhappiness to happiness displays the essential
nature of Gregor’s punishment, and the benefit of sacrifice. Before the transformation,
Gregor complains of “...eating miserable food at all hours” (Kafka 4). After the
transformation, his perception of food changes as Gregor goes from preferring fresh
food to instead craving rotten morsels. His enjoyment is shown through his first meal as
a vermin, “he devoured the cheese, the vegetables, and the sauce; the fresh foods, on
the other hand, he did not care for” (Kafka 18). The use of the word “devoured,” reflects
Gregor’s liking and desire of the food, a kind of desire his former self did not possess.
Lastly, Gregor’s mental state transforms along with the way he occupies his time.
Gregor shows less interest in concerning himself with the stress of bills and family life,
instead focusing on crawling about his room. Less concern for human matters
demonstrates Gregor’s lack of human quality, exemplifying the mental transition. His
disconcern for his family is described, “Gregor had been too absorbed recently in his
newfangled crawling to bother as much as before about events in the rest of the house”
(Kafka 27). Gregor’s disinterest towards his family may also mirror his purge of
negativity in his life, as he realizes that he has no time for stress. Before his insect
existence, Gregor cursed and hated his work, which consumed every hour of his day,
but now, able to crawl around, he is “absorbed,” almost in a trance-like bliss. This bliss
reflects the metamorphosis Gregor needed to undergo to become a stress-free
creature, finally able to appreciate his own existence, while enjoying life in a way
unknown to his human entity.
Other characters, such as Gregor’s father and sister Grete, undergo a transition
that proves beneficial to their health and role in society. With Gregor providing for the
family, the other members are allowed to lazily lounge around, disregarding their full
potential. Gregor’s father was unemployed and developed a large gut, until he is forced
to support the family in their dire situation. His transformation is questioned by Gregor,
“was this the same man who in the old days used to lie wearily in bed?” (Kafka 27).
Gregor goes on to describe his father’s transformation, “he was holding himself

006532-0004 Page 3
erect...his black eyes darted bright, piercing glances” Kafka 28). Gregor’s father
demonstrates the positive impacts of Gregor’s transformation, as his health improves
because of the job and newfound position among the family. Gregor’s absence in the
family allows his father a new purpose and confidence unknown before Gregor’s
metamorphosis. Kafka contrasts the use of “wearily” and “erect” to prove Mr. Samsa’s
growth in his physical existence. Kafka also utilizes “bright,” to echo the liveliness of Mr.
Samsa, which can show the transition to his father’s prosperity. With Gregor’s continued
ability to work, his father would have prolonged living off his son’s support, failing to
improve his physical health.
Gregor’s sister, Grete, flourishes into a lively young woman, fulfilling her parents
expectations and resisting common gender roles of the 20th century. Grete was
considered a helpless child before she transitioned. Kafka writes that in the first stage of
Gregor’s metamorphosis, Grete takes on the traditional female role, feeding, cleaning,
and caring for Gregor. As the novella progresses though, Grete acquires a job and
starts providing for her family, representing her ascendance from the common role of
the woman. By Grete venturing out of the house and finding work, the incorporation of
women’s rising power is woven in Kafka’s novella, resembling the rise of women’s
suffrage and women in politics during 1912. Grete grows mentally and physically,
supporting a job that forces her to mature. Again, this growth is determined by Gregor’s
transformation, as he does not support the household as an insect; therefore, propelling
Grete into the working class. Finally, Grete’s body prospers, which almost goes
unnoticed by her parents from their distraction with Gregor. Mr. and Mrs. Samsa reflect,
“ they watched their daughter get livelier and livelier...she had blossomed into a good-
looking, shapely girl..it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions”
(Kafka 42). Without the distraction of Gregor, Mr. and Mrs. Samsa would not have the
newfound appreciation and love for Grete. The distraction of Gregor allows for Grete to
become a woman, and with Gregor’s existence ceased, her parents are able to view her
as a beacon of light.
At the end of the novella, positivity encompasses the characters like never
before. Although Gregor eventually dies, he is able to find and focus on himself before
this occurs. He becomes stress free and does not carry the burden of his family any
longer. Kafka intentionally punishes Gregor, ironically granting prosperity to the Samsa
family and ultimately Gregor himself. With the family unable to live off their vermin son,
they rise up to support themselves, and discover a newfound appreciation of one
another. As Gregor dies, they feel a remarkable sensation of a burden free life; no
longer are they reliant on Gregor for support, and no longer do they have to care for his
needs. The family portrays their improvement at the end of the novella, reflecting, “The
car which they were the only passengers, was completely filled with warm sunshine”
(Kafka 42). The “warm sunshine” connotes with positivity, that leaves readers with a
sense of fulfillment and success that occurred because of the transformations.

006532-0004 Page 4
 Word Count: 1500

Works Cited
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. 1915. Trans. Stanley Corngold. New York: W.W
Norton & Company, Inc., 1996. Print.

006532-0004 Page 5