Metamorphosis

The Metamorphosis is an interesting novel, written by F. Kafka, about a man that transforms into a cockroach in his sleep. However, there is a deeper meaning regarding identity and self worth. Prior to his transformation, Gregor was a businessman that worked tirelessly to pay off his family’s debt. His commitment to his work is shown at the start of the novel when he struggles to get out of bed. Gregor’s main concern is getting to work rather than the new condition of his body. The essential question posed in this story is about finding fulfillment and balance in one’s life.

Since the father had a failed business that forced him into debt, Gregor’s entire life’ importance became providing for his family. Gregor feels obligated to sacrifice his life in order to assist his family’s economic situation. Gregor is pushed into a lifestyle of constant travel and general discomfort. The reader never hears of the pleasures of Gregor’s life, instead, only his worries concerning his family. Gregor seems to have lost his identity, and his outer appearance reflects that. He becomes an inconsequential bug. In the beginning of the story Gregor asks, “What has happened to me?” This is meant to have a double meaning. Not only is Gregor transformed physically, but he is lost spiritually and mentally.

A metamorphosis occurs not only with Gregor but also with his sister, Grete. Grete is also on a journey to find balance and fulfillment in her life. In the beginning of the novella, she is a young girl. She was dependant on Gregor and her parents for her existence. After his metamorphosis into a cockroach, she is at first compassionate and helps her brother. In the end, she develops into her own person in order to survive. She finds employment in order to help the family’s financial situation. By the end of the novella, her parents are prepared to find a husband for Grete. This solidified her maturity into an adult. The reader is unsure whether