Saturday, October 30, 2010

How would you explain the change in relationship between Gregor and his family thanks to his transformation in "The Metamorphosis"?

Your original question did not really make much sense, so
I have edited it to make it hopefully more understandable, both to you and to me. Well,
it is quite clear that Gregor's transformation has wrought significant changes in his
relations with his family. Although his sister at first tries to show love and kindness
to Gregor, finding him food that he will eat, she later regards him with hatred. It is
she that confronts the facts and also forces her parents to confront them as well when
she says:



"My
dear parents... things cannot go on like this. You may not realise it, but I do. I will
not pronounce my brother's name in front of this monstrosity, and so all I will say is:
We must try to get rid of it. We have done everything humanly possible to look after it
and put up with it; I do not believe there is anything we can be reproached
for."



This, of course, is the
ultimate betrayal that arguably is responsible for Gregor's death as he faces the way
that even the most seemingly stable and solid affections have turned against him thanks
to his transformation.


Of course, although it is his mother
who is dragged along by the will of the others, his father, from the first day, makes
his animosity known towards his son. Note how he tries to crush Gregor. Gregor reflects
on the size of his father's boot soles, but not for
long:



But he
did not dwell on this; after all, from the very first day of his new life, he had known
that the father viewed only the utmost severity as appropriate for dealing with
him.



Above all, the change in
relationship is characterised by the way in which the family celebrate and are happy
when Gregor finally dies and leaves them to focus on the future and live a happy
life.

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