Suffering And Death In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis
Suffering and death of one person rarely leads to the joy of others outside of the literary world. Reminiscent of the story of Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition or Dionysus in Greco-Roman mythology where a figure’s death becomes one of the most significant contributions that they make to society, Gregor comes to a similar fate in Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Having lived a mainly inconsequential life as a traveling salesman, Gregor begins the story seemingly transformed into an insect with little hope for a future. Under his new circumstance, Gregor comes to the decision that the most meaningful contribution he can make to his family is to die and thereby free his family from his influence. Mirroring Kafka’s actual life in many ways, Gregor struggles with his necessity to appease and provide for his family. In the article “Samsa and Samsara: Suffering, Death, and Rebirth in “The Metamorphosis”,” Michael Ryan writes, “Under the pressure of duty to his family, Kafka sees only two alternatives, to die or to appease his parents. Similarly Gregor feels the same confinement to two options” (143). The readers miss the ability to see a
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compromise when death and appeasing parents are separated into two options like this. Because life is so difficult for Gregor, he leans more towards suicide due to the “agonies of life and transmigration” rather than seeing how his death could positively affect his family at the same time (Ryan 143). Kafka situates this character in a sort of purgatory that “by living through the reproaches of his life and family, and by denying suicide, he may have the opportunity to escape the cycle of transmigration” (Ryan 144). Ryan proposes that even though Gregor is condemned to a mostly meaningless life, he cannot take his own life if he wishes to escape the cycle and appease his family. Through the lens of eastern metaphysics, Ryan argues that Gregor’s death provides a salvation similar to what is done by other literary saviors. In order to make something meaningful out of his life Gregor must remain in his wretched state and avoid suicide. By doing this he is “restoring his family to a dutiful order [and] can hopefully achieve salvation --a permanent death” (Ryan 144). When Gregor’s condition worsens the family bands together to find other ways to survive without him, actually causing them to rise to a potential not accessed before. Ryan writes, “Gregor’s function within the story appears at times to correspond to the characteristics of a savior…[he] provides not so much the metamorphosis of the family, but the restoration of the family” (147). Other scholars argue that the title Metamorphosis directly relates to the transformation of Gregor or the family, but Ryan argues that it is less of a transformation and more of a restoration to the way that things should have been. The father is restored to a position of duty and authority and the mother becomes “more independent and efficient” (Ryan 148). Possibly the greatest change is seen in Gregor’s sister where “as she shows less and less regard for Gregor, her concern for her own future rises” (Ryan 148). With Gregor caring for everyone, he hindered the family and allowed for an erosion of responsibility that finally returns to the way it should be once he can no longer do that.
Through Gregor’s inability to care for the family, “he restores them to proper duty and self-sufficiency; as opposed to being leeches of his work as a salesman they exhibit responsibility” (Ryan 148).
Their life has a further meaning when they are responsible for their own money and futures. During his time working as a salesman and making little contribution to the world, Ryan argues that through this metamorphosis into a bug Kafka, “enlisting existence as suffering, suggests that whether vermin or human, Gregor’s goal is death” (144). Typically losing a family member to death does not lead to an overwhelmingly positive result for the family left behind, but when Gregor no longer becomes a burden his family thrives to their full potential. This elevates his meaningless life to one of a savior that elevates others through the act of
dying.
compromise when death and appeasing parents are separated into two options like this. Because life is so difficult for Gregor, he leans more towards suicide due to the “agonies of life and transmigration” rather than seeing how his death could positively affect his family at the same time (Ryan 143). Kafka situates this character in a sort of purgatory that “by living through the reproaches of his life and family, and by denying suicide, he may have the opportunity to escape the cycle of transmigration” (Ryan 144). Ryan proposes that even though Gregor is condemned to a mostly meaningless life, he cannot take his own life if he wishes to escape the cycle and appease his family. Through the lens of eastern metaphysics, Ryan argues that Gregor’s death provides a salvation similar to what is done by other literary saviors. In order to make something meaningful out of his life Gregor must remain in his wretched state and avoid suicide. By doing this he is “restoring his family to a dutiful order [and] can hopefully achieve salvation --a permanent death” (Ryan 144). When Gregor’s condition worsens the family bands together to find other ways to survive without him, actually causing them to rise to a potential not accessed before. Ryan writes, “Gregor’s function within the story appears at times to correspond to the characteristics of a savior…[he] provides not so much the metamorphosis of the family, but the restoration of the family” (147). Other scholars argue that the title Metamorphosis directly relates to the transformation of Gregor or the family, but Ryan argues that it is less of a transformation and more of a restoration to the way that things should have been. The father is restored to a position of duty and authority and the mother becomes “more independent and efficient” (Ryan 148). Possibly the greatest change is seen in Gregor’s sister where “as she shows less and less regard for Gregor, her concern for her own future rises” (Ryan 148). With Gregor caring for everyone, he hindered the family and allowed for an erosion of responsibility that finally returns to the way it should be once he can no longer do that.
Through Gregor’s inability to care for the family, “he restores them to proper duty and self-sufficiency; as opposed to being leeches of his work as a salesman they exhibit responsibility” (Ryan 148).
Their life has a further meaning when they are responsible for their own money and futures. During his time working as a salesman and making little contribution to the world, Ryan argues that through this metamorphosis into a bug Kafka, “enlisting existence as suffering, suggests that whether vermin or human, Gregor’s goal is death” (144). Typically losing a family member to death does not lead to an overwhelmingly positive result for the family left behind, but when Gregor no longer becomes a burden his family thrives to their full potential. This elevates his meaningless life to one of a savior that elevates others through the act of
dying.