In Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” both the father and chief clerk characters have very different reactions to Gregor’s metamorphosis. The chief clerk’s reaction is more of a frightened one, as described in the story, “…without taking his eyes off Gregor, moved towards the door…” (218) He was “trembling” at the sight of Gregor and soon after took flight down the stair case, as though to escape the horrible sight of Gregor. Gregor’s father had a completely different reaction to Gregor’s appearance this morning. He was “relatively calm”(219) until he moved towards Gregor with a cane and a newspaper in both hands. “…by stamping his feet, and brandishing stick and newspaper, attempted to drive Gregor back into his room.” (219) This was the action Gregor’s father took when seeing Gregor’s “metamorphosis.” It consisted of the father grabbing two items, which are well know to be used to kill bugs around the house, to “drive” Gregor back into his room. Not frightened at all by the sight of him, which was the exact opposite reaction to the chief clerks.
Assignment 8
November 7, 2015 Written by r.joy | 2 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
2 responses so far ↓
mf152788 // Nov 7th 2015 at 12:54 pm
You made some very valid points, but where I would have to slightly disagree is when you say that Gregor’s father was not frightened at all at the sight of his son. I feel this way because I think that his reaction was him being frightened, but just another way of expressing it. I see it as him being afraid of the idea of his son turning into an insect, and expressing it in a way that rejects this transformation and physically resists it. I think this way based on my own experience. Obviously I’ve never experienced anyone I know turning into an insect, but I have encountered many insects that I’ve been afraid of but have been repulsed by so I went out of my way to try to kill it, or at least get it away from me. Bringing it back to the book, although Gregor’s father did not express fear of his son explicitly like the chief clerk, he did express it a more subtle way.
JMERLE // Nov 7th 2015 at 3:58 pm
Richard,
Yes, is some sense, at least, the chief clerk and the father’s reactions might be described as polar opposites, and you use good quotations to show this. I like, too, that you mention that the father’s reaction includes using items that normally would be reserved for killing insects.
Work to go even further into your quotations, okay? Try to see if you can go more deeply into your exploration of the text.
9/10