Metamorphosis Surrealism Essay

The novella Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka revolves around a character named Gregor who wakes up one morning not in his usual form, he awakes as an insect. He is unsure of how he has become in this shape and struggles for acceptance. He hides in his room unable to see his family, this novella shows surrealism, Gregors want for existentialism, and even is one giant allegory. Throughout this novella or story there are many points of a surreal reality, or surrealism through the art of Gregors transformation. Readers must use imagination to understand some of this read, to feel Gregor. It’s an escape from reality, in the first section it says “He would have used his arms and hands to push himself up: but instead of them he only had all those little
legs continuously moving in different directions, and which he was moreover unable to control.”(Kafka 9). The purpose of surrealism is to create more imagination in life. This line is a perfect idea of causing readers to use more of their mind to see the image of a giant bug with his legs moving about. Although Metamorphosis is NOT an example for existentialism it shows perfectly how much Gregor craved it as a human and has to embrace the idea of never coming upon that mindset in his now sudden form.
Existentialism is the idea of saying one has the ability to choose his own life, makes his own choices. Gregor is unable to feel as if he can do this. But in section one, he says “If I didn’t have my parents to worry think about I’d have given in my notice a long time ago, I’d have gone up to the boss and told him just what I think, tell him everything I would, let him know just what I feel. He’d fall right off his desk! And it’s a funny sort of business to be sitting up there at your desk, talking down at your subordinates from up there, especially when you have to go right up close because the boss is hard of hearing. Well, there’s still some hope; once I’ve got the money together to pay off my parents debt to him- another five or six years I suppose – that’s definitely what I’ll do.”(Kafka 8). These lines show how Gregor has a desire to go off and be on his own but he feels too obligated to stay with his parents. He is stuck under control of others, with a copious amount of responsibility. He has the desire for existentialism but he does not show the traits
needed. Allegory is a hidden meaning behind something; this novella has so many of them. It mainly reflects the authors life in which he reflects in Gregor. He was never able to be independent therefore always living with parents, helping them make money and providing for them, helping pay off some sort of debt. Gregor is always on a rush, he is on a specific schedule, he works, eats, and sleeps, and that is all. Waking up as a giant bug doesn’t even phase Gregor, there are no signs of aggrieve, which shocks readers. In all reality, hidden in the read is an allegory saying Gregor is in a form in which he is used to being treated. In the first section of this novella right after Gregor is seen for the first time it states, “His father looked hostile, and clenched his fists as if wanting to knock Gregor back into his room.”(Kafka 15). It is also stated, “If only Gregor had been able to turn round he would have been back in his room straight away, but he was afraid that if he took the time to do that his father would become impatient, and there was the threat of a lethal blow to his back or head from the stick in his hand any moment”(Kafka 18). Both of these lines show the feel Gregor carries towards his father, it shows the severity of how much his father can control him, making him feel none the less, like a bug. Although Metamorphosis wasn’t a very long Novella it was able to characterize the importance of surrealism through Gregors change, existentialism through Gregors thoughts and actions, and it has many allegories causing readers to really understand this read. Kafka is a quite extravagant writer who is able to bring in readers, make them feel compassion and understand the Novella much more than one usually would. Gregors struggles, thoughts, and feelings are quite relatable, one could feel his pain or understand how lost he feels. Overall, Metamorphosis summarizes a common struggle in a strange way and could even bring readers together.