Exploring Alienation and Conformity in the Metamorphosis

In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka conveys the series of emotional and psychological repercussions of a physical transformation that befalls the protagonist, a young salesman called Gregor Samsa. As the story progresses, Gregor finds himself unfairly stigmatized, cruelly rejected because of his clear inability to financially support his family, and consequently increasingly isolated. Through extensive use of symbolism, Kafka is able to relate the surreal and absurd, seemingly arbitrary events of this short story to a general critique of society-particularly on the alienating effects that conformity generates. On a broader level, the combined themes-which include the themes of conformity, freedom, and alienation--found throughout The†¦show more content†¦As a young child, he was a lone Jew attending a German school-which no doubt forced him to learn the value of conformity from an early age. As for Gregor, his family refuses to associate with him any longer and casually discar ds him because he is useless and perceived as different; i.e., dangerous. As such, the family finds this nonconformity almost threatening to their existence. A particularly pivotal and heartbreaking moment in Gregors life occurs when his own beloved sister is asha! med of Gregor: Things cannot go on any longer in this way...I say only that we must try to get rid of it. We have tried what is humanly possible to take care of it and to be patient...I believe that no one can criticize us in the slightest...it is killing you both. I see it coming. When people have to work as hard as we all do, they cannot also tolerate Cheng 4 this endless torment at home. I just cant go on any more...this animal plagues us. It drives away the lodgers, will obviously take over the entire apartment, and leave us to spend the night in the lane. (Kafka) Basically, Grete is willing to kill her own blood relation purely based upon his unusual, repulsive appearance. However, despite the constant threat of exte rmination, his thoughts remain surprisingly selfless; he did not have any notion of wishing to create problems for anyone and certainly not for his sister...he felt a great pride that he had been able to provide such a life in aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s Life1811 Words   |  8 PagesLaborers. For the purpose of exploring this story, the Masons can be considered the intellects and the Day Laborers are the unconcerned. As one is informed of the time consuming technique used in the construction, one may notice the separation the Masons began to feel regarding their work. The focus on witnessing a finished product often distressed the Masons and caused unproductivity and dissatisfaction. Kafka is clearly drawing from Karl Marx’s theory of alienation. As the story progresses, KafkaRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesfor getting to grips with the field of organization theory. Dr Martin Brigham, Lancaster University, UK McAuley et al. pr ovide a highly readable account of ideas, perspectives and practices of organization. By thoroughly explaining, analyzing and exploring organization theory the book increases the understanding of a field that in recent years has become ever more fragmented. Organization theory is central to managing, organizing and reflecting on both formal and informal structures, and in this respect