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Example research essay topic: Franz Kafka Gregor Samsa - 2,187 words

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Kafka's Metamorphosis Franz Kafka's short story The Metamorphosis deals with a man who turns into some sort of insect, resulting in a conflict between the household and the transformed individual. Whether the man, Gregor Samsa, literally or figuratively turns into a bug is not known. The story is full of themes and symbols that Kafka uses to make his story as ambiguous, yet as comprehensible, as possible. In fact, the symbols and themes are interconnected. The most important theme is the idea of change and alienation.

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect (Kafka 962). The climax of the story seems to be the first few words, allowing the reader to be shocked from the beginning and to learn what has led to such a change. The reader does not know what sort of insect is implied through Kafka, so I will describe the bug as a beetle. From the outset, George Samsa mutates into a beetle, a fact that later becomes known to him.

He is repulsive to look at and his boss leaped down several steps and vanished (Kafka 972) to avoid the sight of Gregor. This sort of isolation is dangerous and frightening. His only way he can see what is happening is through the small crack in the door that his sister leaves for him. The Samsa family approaches him with caution, as if he were some sort of monster and not the son and brother he once was. His entire family despises him and eventually realizes that he is no longer a component of the household (Corngold 69). This is reflective of his life at work, where he is always traveling and has no companions outside of the world he has created for himself.

He is completely isolated from any social existence and his employers only care for his arrival at his job, not for his welfare. No soul can survive without friends and communication because it is vital for a person to grow. Another way to view his metamorphosis is in that of self-desire. Gregor may not have realized what he wanted in life, but the unsettling dreams he has are a sign to his troubled life. This way, he can express what he is feeling and show a layer to him that is concealed (Sokel 151 - 52). Apparently, the most important metamorphosis seems to be that of Gregor, but he is not the only one that changes.

Most of the members of the family reach an epiphany later in the story, especially with Grete. The next three themes can be found in a symbol to be discussed later. The first of this group of themes is power. Power is both held and relinquished at different times of the short story. The reader learns that before Gregor turned into a beetle, he was the official man of the house; he earned the money that was used for food, clothing, and shelter. The parents had gotten into deep debt and Gregor was used to appease the boss of the company.

However, as soon as Gregor mutates, he loses complete authority in the household. Surprisingly, the child of the household, Gregor's sister, Grete, finds the strength, mentally, physically, and emotionally, to deal with her brother in his misshapen form. When she caught sight of him under the sofas he was so startled that without being able to help it she slammed the door shut again. But as if regretting her behavior she opened the door again immediately and came in on tiptoe (Kafka 974). Grete also helps her mother to try to gain the confidence and proper mentality to be in Gregor's room. Yet, that is also difficult for her.

She is stereotyped as a lady and never earned any control in the family. The father, however, reclaims his position. He no longer stays at home to sleep and complete nothing; he leaves the house to find a job to erase the debt that he caused. The second of this group of themes is wisdom. Gregor is the omnipresent narrator who understands the scenes outside of his door, even though he is locked in a little room. He learns of the financial problems and feels terrible that he cannot ease the issue.

Gregor is also capable of thought and reason even after he mutates. He retains his ability to think like a human, yet has a different outlook on his life to that of a beetle. He is able to decipher what type of food a beetle enjoys through a reasonable process of guessing and checking. One after another and with tears of satisfaction in his eyes he quickly devoured the cheese, the vegetables and the sauce; the fresh food, on the other hand, had no charms for him (Kafka 975). It was not until the end of his life that he realized how lonesome he has always been.

In this state of vacant and peaceful meditation he remained until the tower clock struck three in the morning. The first broadening of light in the world outside the window entered his consciousness once more (Kafka 992). The light that he sees refers to his last thought, the last piece of humanity he had until he was dead even from the inside. The other person with a lot of wisdom is Grete. For most of her life, she has been isolated from the harsh realities of existence because her parents did not demand that she make something of herself. Instead, she accepted the responsibility of ensuring the livelihood of Gregor.

She is able to detect something that could be left undetected. Gregor's sister at once noticed, with surprise, that the basin was still full (Kafka 974). She is also the person in the family who realized that Gregor was not an individual, but rather a fiend. Gregor was not disguised in a beetle; the beetle was concealed within Gregor. She deliberately killed him by locking him in his room and not letting him out. That is her last act of good judgment before she is ready to enter the harsh world.

The final theme of this set is that of love. The main reason Gregor has a metamorphosis is that he feels no affection from any person. This connects with the theme of alienation. Had he been given the opportunity to love somebody and find a soul mate, he may not have been trapped in a monotonous lifestyle: a life of no friends and close family bonds. The only affection ever directed towards Gregor was from Grete. The event that brings most joy to Gregor is when he finds out that his father has saved some extra money, to which the response is Gregor nodded his head eagerly, rejoiced at this evidence of unexpected thrift and foresight (Kafka 977).

When there is money, the family has the ability to live in a somewhat luxurious lifestyle with few worries. Yet Gregor's mutation causes the house hold to fall apart because they cannot raise enough money to live in the same extravagance as earlier. The Metamorphosis is also filled with many symbols. The first and most apparent of all the symbols is that of the mutation; this can be interpreted in two different methods: the physical change from human to insect, or the metaphorical transformation from a regular person to a being no longer accepted as part of society.

First, let us examine the literal interpretation of this bizarre occurrence. Kafka's vivid descriptions given to Gregor allow the reader to visualize an enormous beetle that physically replaces a member of the family with his little legs struggling against each other more wildly than ever (Kaka 965). Yet, it is not until the maid gives Gregor's physical appearance a name that the reader begins to decide whether this insect is reality or a metaphor. This woman may also not understand that there is a human inside of this dung beetle (Corngold 67). Furthermore, she may only be making a statement that Gregor is acting like a beetle, not like an insect. This interpretation refutes all possibilities of Gregor's being something other than human.

The mental condition that has absorbed Gregor lets him think in two different dimensions, that of a human and that of an insect. This level of thought gives him certain superiority over the rest of the family; and this condition is something with which Gregor cannot be happy. As was previously mentioned in this paper, Gregor changes because of his alienation. This is a very interesting point that this sort of change can and does happen to almost everybody. There is no one that cares for him anymore and Gregor has a feeling of loneliness. His mutation gives him something to gain that attention he is craving from his family.

Number symbols are predominant in this short story, giving another component to furthering the discussion of The Metamorphosis. The number seven is also an important symbol. Seven oclock already, he said to himself when the alarm clock chimed again, seven oclock already and still such a thick fog (Kafka 965). This is the first number used in the short story and is used perfectly. Seven is a symbol of completion, as is used several times in the Bible. Just like the seven days of creation, Gregor and his family begin with complete chaos due to the metamorphosis and ends with the family and Gregor in peace.

The first day started with disorder and the week ended with Sabbath, the holy day of rest. One small idea that is not discussed in too much depth is the violin and the sweet music that is played through the strings. The second most important turning point, behind the metamorphosis, is when Grete accidentally leads Gregor out of his room to listen to her play some sort of melody. Music is one of the art forms, along with drawing and writing. It is rare to be able to experience a combination of writing with any other form of art. When it is used, Kafka does not give extensive details to the type of music.

Yet, the melody must have been some sort of trance that captures the mind of an insect. It is understandable that Gregor enjoyed his sisters musical abilities, but he had never been enthralled by such music. In his mental condition, he acts abnormally because he risks his life. Mozart or some other German composer who utilized the violin and strings would most likely have composed that music. Through my research of The Metamorphosis, I came upon many interesting issues surrounding the commentary of Kafka's work.

For instance, I have seen books about the relationship between Kafka's writing and Freud's psychological analysis of the human mind. There are many similarities that were found and how Kafka could have possibly used Freud as a basis of that which he had written. For instance, during the time that Kafka began writing, there are commentators that claim that the power of Freud's writings was so influential that Freud must have had a huge impact on Kafka. The article continued that the parallelism between Kafka's relationship with his father and the Oedipus complex further prove this theory (Stern 145 - 46). However, this is an invalid claim. I found in one of Kafka's personal diaries that he viewed Freud's work with pessimism and laughed at the idea that Freud could have possibly affected Kafka.

And even if that was never the case, the fact that such assumptions could be made in intelligent books is mind-boggling. Another comparison that is often used with Kafka is the Christian connection with his work. I do not understand how there can be any connection when in fact it is known that Kafka's background is with observant Jews and Kafka has a deep interest in Jewish mysticism. The problem is that I cannot comprehend some minute detail that troubles me so much. The story is written in the most unusual style with no introduction or rising action. But the problem, I think, is that the whole idea that there can be an insect but there is no insect.

Kafka makes the reader believe that there is a beetle or a cockroach the entire time. However, unlike other stories that have a perverted conclusion, this ending seems too calm to flow with the story. The entire novella is a dark tale, which suddenly becomes sweet. There are many other parts to it that I cannot seem to explain; it flies in the face of logic; however, that is why it is called Kafkaesque. Words: 2103 Bibliography: Franz Kafka.

The Metamorphosis. University Press, 1998. Beck, Evelyn Torton. The Dramatic in Kafka's Metamorphosis. Modern Critical Interpretations, Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis.

Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. 53 - 60. Corngold, Stanley.

Metamorphosis of the Metaphor. University of Manitoba Press, 1970. Sokel, Walter H. Freud and the Magic of Kafka's Writing. The World of Franz Kafka. Ed.

J. P. Stern. New York: George Weidenfeld and Nicolson Limited, 1980. 145 - 158


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Research essay sample on Franz Kafka Gregor Samsa

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