In Kafka’s, “Metamorphosis”, Gregor’s transition into an insect is reacted to in different ways by both his father and the chief clerk. When the chief clerk first sees that Gregor has turned into a bug, he seems disgusted, but the reader soon realizes that, rather, he is terrified. “…the chief clerk must have sensed something, because he took the last few steps at a single bound and disappeared” (219). The chief clerk ran away from Gregor because he has a fear that most people do regarding insects. The fact that the insect was Gregor obviously had added to his terror. In contrast, Gregor’s father acted in a way that was unloving, which is shocking. Towards the end of part I, Gregor’s father tries to push him back into his room using objects that are usually used to kill insects. “If only there hadn’t been those unbearable hissing sounds issuing from his father!” (220). Gregor’s father somewhat interacts with him, while the chief clerk ignores the problem and runs away. However, the actions of Gregor’s father is worse than the reaction of the chief clerk because he so unloving to his own son as he hisses and almost swats him back into his room.
Assignment 8
November 7, 2015 Written by k.matthes | 3 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
3 responses so far ↓
c.hazan // Nov 7th 2015 at 11:30 am
I agree with most of your analysis of both reactions towards Gregor’s metamorphosis. However, I disagree that Gregor’s father was unloving. Yes, it may have seemed that way, and it was definitely the way one would react to an insect in general. Still, anyone would react the way that he did. Nobody expects that it is even a possible thing for someone to turn into a bug. I thought the father was probably slightly confused and bewildered. He treated him like a son and an insect at the same time. You hiss or swat an insect, although he made sure not to swat, he directed him towards the room with the cane, and he also treated him like a son, by sending him back to his room, to process what had happened and to think of a proper solution. Of course, I don’t know what happens after part 1, so this analysis could be wrong, but I don’t believe from what I read so far, that the father was unloving. It could have been the best thing he did for his son sending him back to his room.
e.rospide // Nov 7th 2015 at 11:45 am
I agree with your analysis of the clerks reactions. However, I don’t believe the father’s reaction was worst than the clerks. In fact, the father acted fairly calm. He knew that a negative reaction would provoke insecurities within child about his new state. He also knew how others would involuntary act towards Gregor new state, and a result, he decided to lead his son back into his room. The hissing and swating was a technique to lead him back to the confinements of his room, where his father believed he would be safe. The father acting rational, and with his son’s feelings in mind.
JMERLE // Nov 7th 2015 at 3:51 pm
Kelly,
Yes, you get at a central difference between the two characters, and you create a deeper exploration into what might possibly be going on here. Yes, at first the clerk seems disgusted, but then terrified, and yes, ultimately, he simply wants to leave, to not, as you say, interact with Gregor. Given what the chief clerk may represent in a larger sense (the outside society) then his reaction becomes even more interesting, and one that we will discuss in class. Your last comment, that his reaction is, finally, more positive than the father’s (who does react, but quite violently) is also very interesting, and touches on an important question for Kafka, and that is: Who, exactly, can the individual rely on?
Excellent response!
10/10