Business Life Vs. Family Life

Business Life vs. Family Life

“The Metamorphosis” written in 1912 by Frank Kafka is one most popular and read novellas of twentieth century literature. A story, which captures the life of Gregor Samsa a businessman who strives to keep his family (parents and sister) financially stable. Until one day, Gregor awakes to find himself morphed into a “vermin”. However, this metamorphosis is not what dehumanizes Gregor.

Gregor had alienated himself long before his metamorphosis into a “vermin”. His obsession with his job had dehumanized him, made him less personal and more mechanical. While on business trips, he began to “lock his doors at night in the hotels.” He had to “worry about changing trains, eat miserable food at all hours, constantly seeing new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate” (Kafka 4). He carried his business qualities back to his home life. Since he started his job, his family had lost communication with him “Day in Day out, always on the road” (Kafka 4). Gregor's metamorphosis into a “vermin” only allowed him and his family to consciously alienate him from society and the world. His family did not know him anymore and only saw him as a source for money. Morphing into a “vermin” is a big change, however, to Gregor it is nothing.

“When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 3). Gregor should have been more shocked at this change, or at least less understanding towards it. However, Gregor response is extremely calm. “How about going back to sleep for a few minutes and forgetting all this nonsense” (Kafka 3) “This getting up so early, makes anyone a complete idiot” (Kafka 4). The only part about being a “vermin” that seemed to truly negatively shock Gregor was that he could no longer attend his job at the office. He glances at the alarm clock “God Almighty! It was 6:30” (Kafka 3) “The next train left at seven o’clock; to make it, he would have to hurry like a madman” (Kafka 5). Not once did Gregor think of his family or how they would react. His loss of relation with his family was nothing very new. There was a lacking of personal connection with his family even though his job is supposed to cover his parent’s debt. Gregor’s metamorphosis is a big change. How will his family react, or will they stay the same, only time will tell.

Grete, Gregor's sister, seemed to be the only family member to change her perception of Gregor. In the beginning, she was nice and treated Gregor like a pet. After awaking from his “coma like sleep”, Gregor finds “a bowl filled with fresh milk, in which slices of white bread were floating” (Kafka 21). For numerous weeks, Grete would care for Gregor like this. However when Gregor became a most unbearable burden Grete goes from being the overemotional, little seventeen-year-old girl to a bitter, matured stranger the first in the Samsa