"The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka.

Essay by jstupl October 2005

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In "The Metamorphosis", by Franz Kafka, a family is supported, but also ripped apart by one individual, Gregor Samsa. The family is falling apart including Gregor. They do not talk to each other except to fight, and they seem to care for each other only because they all need to be healthy and to get enough sleep in order to work the next day. They are becoming alienated from each other in the same way that Gregor was alienated when he was the only one working to support his family financially. The household has come to the conclusion that it is in fact Gregor who is holding them back. The family can only succeed and survive if the source of their problems, which is Gregor Samsa, is done away with.

Gregor's sister goes under a transformation from being a caring sibling to a greedy stranger. In the beginning of the story it is Gregor's sister who cares for him, feeds him, and cleans his room.

Due to Gregor's inability to work, his sister is forced to get a small job. " Exhausted by her daily work , (she) had grown tired of looking after Gregor as she did formerly (463)." His sister, he notices, can see the dirt in his room perfectly, but she no longer bothers to clean it. She now is totally neglecting Gregor, and is no longer even feeding him. She has transformed so much from the loving, caring sister to the one who most wants Gregor to be done away with. She is the one who brought to the attention of her parents that Gregor was their problem and that it was he who was holding the rest of the family back. And in fact it was she who dealt the final blow...