Kafka's Metamorphosis

The qualities of each individual character presented in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis are easily comparable to the qualities in almost anyone you or I may know. They do not have too many unique, discerning traits, save maybe the sister's violin playing or the mother's asthma, but are overall quite general. I believe that might have been the intention - never delving into what any of the characters look like, or unique mannerisms in any detail - to give the reader a closer sense of relativity, to put any face they find familiar to each character's manner.

They do not so much support any theory of abstract qualities, but nor do they suggest real people. It seems they might have been bland, undeveloped mirrors of people Kafka might have know, but it is hard to say for certain. He does, however, have no hindrance in letting us know how every one of the characters feel at each point, even though the point of view is through the main character for most of the story. The other three characters seem to be adequately expressive in the event of the main character transforming into a giant insect and the repercussions that follow.

Before I delve into the other three characters, I feel I must make a point of the fact that Gregor - the protagonist, to a degree - seems to never question the fact that he has, overnight, mutated into the horrible, ugly, gruesome creature whom his family can't even stand to see. He never questions the idea of trying to find out why this has happened to him and nor does his family as vehemently as one would imagine. They all just seem to be disgusted by it, then over time, learn to just accept his fate.

Yet only with them becoming more and more familiar with the idea that Gregor's state will never return to normal, do they begin to resent his very existence. Once he was no longer providing for them, once he was no longer carrying all financial burden for them to sustain their comfortable lifestyle, did they slowly begin to realize that his existence was no longer needed, that he was now only a burden on them all. He became cast out, and hidden like a grotesque invalid.

His sister, Grete, initially being his sole care-taker, first seemed sympathetic of his ailment and helped to take care of him. Then, overtime, she became less pitying and increasingly bitter for her plight. She felt ever more put out for caring for this creature whom she questioned more and more if he was still even her brother.

Gregor's mother, a weak and delicate woman, could