Symbolism in the Metamorphosis

Symbolism in The Metamorphosis

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect". It is unusual to say the least to open a book and the first line is about the main character waking up as a large insect. Gregor's transformation was much too peculiar of an incident not to stand for something symbolically. Franz Kafka used many symbols when writing The Metamorphosis. Some of which, were taken from aspects of his personal life. In this essay, I will describe three of the main symbols used: the insect, the picture of the woman, and the furniture.

The insect symbolizes how insignificant and empty Gregor's life was, and the meaninglessness he found in his job as a traveling salesman. "What a demanding job I've chosen! Day in, day out, on the road. The stresses of selling are much greater than the actual work going on at head office, and, in addition to that, I still have to cope with the problems of traveling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constant change of human relations, which never come from the heart. To hell with it all" (Kafka 1). Others believe that it is just a symbol of society and the jaded way of modern existence. The most agreed upon theory for the meaning of the insects symbol is Kafka's relationship with his father. The insect is a representation of how Kafka's father made him feel. His father in real life made him feel small and trapped, just like Gregor as an insect in his room. For example, each time Gregor would leave his room, his father would force him back in it. His father even heaves an apple at him with such force that the apple lodges in his back and becomes infected. According to Hill, "The point is, however, that the creature is Gregor, and the implication of the denial is that only when the family (or society) refuses to recognize the true nature of Gregor (the loathsome aspects of wasted living) can life remain tolerable" (162). Kafka uses the symbolism of Gregor becoming a bug to represent the tragedy of the life that Gregor was leading, and his metamorphosis symbolizes a more gradual metamorphosis towards an individual humanity.

The picture on the wall in Gregor's room was of a woman dressed only in furs. "He really did not know what he should rescue first. Then he saw the woman dressed in nothing but fur" (Kafka 19). The woman may have symbolized a desire for a love interest and he may have wanted to keep it in his room away from his father. Kafka wrote a letter to his father, in this letter he commented on how his father showed a lack of approval for the choices he had made in his attempts at marriage. Kafka felt unable to marry for many reasons; one being that he did not want to disgrace his father. Possibly because of his low self-esteem, he does not think he could successfully marry, let alone manage a family. This picture can also symbolize an escape for his solitude and his loneliness. The picture may have also represented something meaningful in a life where he finds no meaning. It also symbolizes sexuality and Gregor's need for intimate contact. According to Danto, "In the story there is a picture in Gregor's room of a woman in an enormous fur muff, and it might occur to an adapter - never mind." (1)

The removal of the furniture is a symbol of giving up hope on Gregor's ability to become human again. The furniture is Gregor's link to his human past. Gregor uses his room as refuge from his family, much like the author did while growing up. His room seems to be both a safe haven and a prison at the same time. In the story, Gregor's room may symbolize Franz's limited ability to communicate with his father. In his letter, he talked about a lack of encouragement