Isolation and Feelings in Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Essay

It appears that the people who care the most end up getting hurt by the ones they love. The more time, energy, love, and money that a person sometimes invests get thrown back in their face once something drastic happens. In turn, this causes feelings of worthlessness and isolation and can eventually lead to death. Franz Kafka understands this better than anyone else and can portray this in his novella, the Metamorphosis. In his novella, The Metamorphosis, the protagonist, Gregor Samsa is one who undergoes a physical and mental transformation due to the unrelenting pressures that his father placed upon him which eventually cause him to die. At the heart of the father-son relationship lies Gregor and his father whose relationship is explored†¦show more content†¦Both of their fathers are controlling, physically abusive, and overbearing. Kafka’s father was able to rise out of his low place in order to start his own business while Samsa’s father sits around doing n othing and forcing Gregor to work in order to provide for the family (Introduction to Franz Kafka). From the start of The Metamorphosis until the end, Gregor’s father, Mr. Samsa treats Gregor with extreme harshness in the way he speaks to Gregor and the physical pain that he inflicts upon him. Even in the very first encounter with the newly transformed Gregor the father’s first reaction is unexpected. When he sees that Gregor is a bug, his reaction is one of disgust. This ‘monstrous’ creature that Gregor had become was a horrid sight for Mr. Samsa to see. â€Å"The father was already knocking, gently, but with his fist† exerts the fact that Mr. Samsa was a bit manipulative (Kafka 9). The irony in this sentence is that he knocked gentle as to seem that he did not want to disturb Gregor. He then also made sure to use his fist as to show a sign of power and that he did not care if Gregor was ok but rather to make sure that he would get to work on time. At one moment in the story the father seems a bit worrisome but in the next instant the â€Å"fathe r gave him a strong push which was literal deliverance and he flew far into the room... The door was slammed behind him with a stick... (Kafka 20). This statement is also oneShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Gregor and Samsa Essay1670 Words   |  7 Pagesexistence have evolved along with them. Among the literary pioneers who have explored the meaning and purpose of existence, Franz Kafka is one to be noted and studied. A follower of the existentialism movement, he made it a point explore existential philosophy in his literary works. 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