Kafka--The Metamorphosis. Literature & Language Essay

Kafka--The Metamorphosis
Paragraph 1
Less than Human
When the story begins, Gregor is oppressed by a job that he hates but needs in order to support his family. The Chief Clerk from his company arrives at his home and shows nothing but disgust for Gregor’s unproductive ways. His family sees him largely as a meal ticket. In what ways does his metamorphosis mark not so much a change in his status but rather makes his role as a worker concrete? In what ways was Gregor less than human even BEFORE his transformation?
Paragraph 2
The Experience of the Modern World
“The Metamorphosis” offers a worldview that is profoundly different from the American belief that you can make yourself anything you want if you try hard enough. By contrast, when Gregor awakes as a vermin, no one seeks to find out why or tries to reverse the change. What does this tell us about their view of a human’s role in the world? Why might they simply accept that humans can undergo such monstrous transformation for no clear reason? What does this say about their view of humanity’s power (or lack thereof)? How does this story speak to the experience of the modern world for both the characters and for the audience?
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