The Metamorphosis: The Tragedy of Being a Human
“I am a cage, in search of a bird.” — Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka one of my favourite authors follows the story of Gregor Samsa, a travelling salesman whose family depends entirely on him. When he wakes up one morning, he discovers that his body has transformed into an insect-like creature. However, his mind remains the same, meaning he still has the same emotions and concerns. His first thoughts are about his job and his family’s financial situation.
At first, his sister Grete looked after him. However, his family grew frustrated with his new identity and began to feel ashamed. The person that used to look after the whole family was now someone they struggled to cope with. Gregor became very isolated and was left alone in his room. He was no longer receiving any care and was being rejected by the people he worked so hard for. Eventually Gregor passed away.
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What makes this even more heartbreaking is that his family seems more relieved than grief-stricken after his death. They begin planning their future as though a burden has finally been lifted. It seems as though Gregor was important to them as long as he could provide for them, but when he became dependent on them, their attitude towards him changed.
The key philosophy in this story is that humans are often valued for what they can do, rather than who they are. Throughout the story Kafka shows how Gregor’s value within his family decreased as he could no longer work. Gregor had given up his freedom, happiness and his own wants throughout his life to provide for his family. However, when he became reliant on them he wasn’t cared for.
What makes this story so disturbing is that Gregor never truly loses his humanity. He can still feel emotions, think, and worry about the people around him. However, his family gradually begins to see only his altered appearance rather than the person he still is inside. In a way, Gregor was already isolated before his transformation. His job as a travelling salesman left him with little freedom, and he had spent much of his life working to fulfil his family’s needs rather than his own.
To me this makes the story very tragic. Kafka makes you think about whether you actually value people for who they are. Gregor gave everything to his family but when he couldn’t provide anymore, he was slowly removed from their lives. His transformation showed how painful it can be when people you thought you could rely on aren’t really there.
Gregor doesn’t die because he loses his humanity but because the people around him can no longer recognise it. The most heartbreaking thing about this story is that he spent his whole life caring for others but realised he had no one to care for him.
