When you first begin to read The Metamorphosis, we seemed to be dropped in media res. Gregor Samsa just is a giant bug--we don't get any lead up to a potential transformation or hints of witchcraft, but just a comment on how Gregor's night sleep was troubling. This interesting decision on where to begin the story is important, as we really learn a lot more about Gregor based on how he's reacting to the situation. Essentially, he knows no more than the readers do about what's happened to him; it's also interesting that we'll be picking up more background as Gregor does about his bug condition.
Gregor's initial reaction is not what I would have expected. He describes his errant limbs and toughened body very matter-of-factly, and doesn't seem to panic. Instead, he focuses on the plight of his job and how he's missed the five-o'clock train, which therefore puts him in a position of being late. Honestly, I highly doubt that anyone that was even remotely on the same page with the gravity of such a transformation wouldn't focus on something so trivial. Oh, wait--but I'm considering it trivial. Clearly being late and not showing up to work at all is something that weighs on Gregor's mind, which lets the readers know where his priorities lie.
Relating to this, an interesting viewpoint/observation was brought up in the discussion of yesterday's class. If not missing work has a bigger impact on Gregor's thought process than his being transformed into a giant insect, what does that tell us? Someone said that he clearly had a lot to sustain; he's paying back his parents debts (the fact of which is, uh, awkwardly juxtaposed with how lavish the father's meals are, but I digress). We also get a glimpse of Gregor getting angry as how his boss seems to use all of the subordinates as pawns, and made a someone pathetic comment about gettin' the ol' boss back in five years or so... And from this, the best positive attitude I can use is "diligent." He's already been working for so long, and he's fully prepared and dedicated to finishing what he needs to do. So that's good?
Another interesting comment that was made was that Gregor was basically a suck-up. Even in his present (horrifying) state, he still makes an extreme effort to explain himself to the chief and assure him that his claims were unjustly made. What stood out to me most in this vein was how it was implied that he was even happy when his father didn't keep swinging the walking-stick at him as he was attempting to turn around. I found that very, very unsettling how out-of-place Gregor's mindset seemed to be with how people were perceiving the situation. There's nothing that actually indicates to the others that this massive organism was Gregor, and he knew that his voice didn't sound right to them. The way he was responding during that little back and forth was definitely baffling.
It's amazing how much was actually revealed or alluded to about Gregor just from the first few scenes we've read thus far. He's a little mind-boggling, not inherently interesting, and aloof. I'm excited to see where his characterization goes as we continue!
I think it's important to note that Gregor feels the need to be the perfect employee because if he is any less, he will be fired. Right before the chief clerk enters his room, we get a quick look into Gregor's mind. "Why on earth was Gregor condemned to work for a firm where the slightest lapse immediately gave rise to the gravest suspicion?" (69). I think what Franz Kafka is trying to get at here is that while Gregor is very diligent in his work, it is the system that forces him to be the way he is. I would say that Kafka is trying to make a bigger point about immense role of industry in this story, and that Gregor literally fears being fired over becoming a large insect.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that his reaction is unexpected. But if an unexpected reaction were to come from anyone, it would make sense to come from an unusual person. Gregor seems so focused on being a perfect little worker bee during work that it's surprising that he comes back home, only wanting to be rid of his job. Now that he is a bug, he is kind of rid of his job. Maybe he's a little relieved, even if his chief clerksman thinks he's a big scary creature. Or maybe he hasn't accepted the reality (I really don't know if this is the right word haha) of his situation. I really want to know how we would react if we turned into bugs, especially if we knew our boss was right outside the door.
ReplyDeleteI also think that because this situation is so strange, he automatically goes to stress about what he cares about most if this was a normal situation, which is his work. Since he's never found himself in this dilemma before, he doesn't really know how else to react, and like Aarthi said, he's so focused on being a "worker bee" that he hasn't really developed his own independent thinking, and so all he can think about is his work.
ReplyDeleteLike what Hailan said, I think Gregor tries to fix what is most important to him and what it most familiar to him. It's much comforting to just go and do something when we are stressed and don't know what's going on, then to sit and try to calmly think out the logistics...... especially in a horrifying situation like this.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to Gregor is that he's a strange, yet likable character. He is an extremely hardworking individual who is very selfless when it comes to his family, and he has weird priorities. Like you said, the fact that he seems to worry more about catching the train that his transformation shows that his concerns aren't exactly natural for the situation, but it's very kind of him to work so hard to pay off his family's debt. In other words, I found his character to be very unique and intriguing.
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