Dehumanization in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis presents a haunting portrayal of the dehumanizing effects of modern society on the individual. The story's protagonist, Gregor Samsa, undergoes a grotesque transformation into an insect-like creature, which serves as a metaphor for losing his humanity in the face of societal pressures and expectations. As the narrative unfolds, Gregor's family's treatment of him furthers the damaging effects of social isolation and the erosion of basic human connection. Through Gregor's transformation and his family's response to it, Kafka illustrates the destructive consequences of dehumanization, emphasizing the vital role of empathy and compassion in fostering human dignity. So, the ultimate goal for today is to make a close-up inspection of the family's treatment of Gregor in terms of their attitudes toward his transformation, their refusal to acknowledge his basic needs, and their ultimate abandonment of him as a means of portraying his death as a result of dehumanization.
The theme of dehumanization is seen throughout the story, as Gregor’s transformation into an insect-like creature represents a loss of his sense of human identity. As he physically transforms into vermin in Part I of the story, he is removed from society and his family and eventually becomes an outcast. The metamorphosis symbolizes his dehumanization, and the readers can sense Gregor’s increasing isolation and loneliness as the story progresses. However, even in his insect state, Gregor still retains his human consciousness and feelings, as evidenced by his inner monologues and his attempts to understand and relate to his family. This idea of dehumanization eventually bleeds into the story as it plays a part in Gregor’s sense of providing for his family, in contrast to how his family ends up treating him as a burden and a source of shame. Initially, Gregor was the breadwinner of the family, in which he mentions how he only saved a small portion of his allowance and provided the rest to his family. His transformation did not stop his drive to make money for his family. As seen in Part I, Gregor states that his sense of abandoning his family was the farthest thing from his thoughts. Even with his metamorphosis stopping his mobility, his sense of returning to work to provide for his family was displayed again when his office manager visited him regarding his absence. In addition, he wished to send his sister, Grete, to the Conservatory despite the considerable cost it may incur him. Thus, Gregor’s sense of duty in the house and his care for his family never left him until his death.
As the story unfolds, his ability to provide for his family eventually becomes hindered by his metamorphosis, neglecting him the capability of leaving his room. With his life heading towards turmoil, he eventually ends up in his room, “pondering how best to reorder his life,” showing the readers the effect of dehumanization starting to take a toll on Gregor’s life and consciousness. His family also becomes increasingly disgusted by his presence and cannot see him as anything other than a useless insect. They view him as a burden and source of shame, and their treatment of him becomes increasingly cruel. Before Grete’s increasingly neglectful view towards Gregor, she provided care and compassion for him. For instance, in Part II, Grete removes Gregor’s wardrobes and other items from his room to give him space to crawl around and move freely without any obstacles. Even though her action is done out of love and care for her brother, this is another clear example of dehumanization. As wardrobes and household items are used by humans, Grete, in this case, is unintendedly stripping Gregor of his remaining connections to his human life and reducing him to a mere insect and essentially eroding his existence as a human being and eliminating any reminder of his relationship with his family. This act of erasure underscores the family’s lack of empathy and understanding for Gregor’s needs, catalyzing an increase in his feelings of despair and loneliness, further contributing to his dehumanization. The tossing out of his possessions could also reinforce the idea that Gregor’s possessions, and by extension his life, are of no value to his family members, regardless of whether it was done with good intentions.
Furthermore, Gregor’s father arguably plays the most prominent role in the dehumanization of Gregor. Before Gregor's metamorphosis, his father was portrayed as weak, ineffectual, and short-tempered. He became increasingly dissatisfied with his life after finding a job because of Gregor’s inability to work. Instead of showing support and care for his transformed son, the father becomes more and more cruel and dehumanizing. The first instance occurs during Gregor’s office manager’s visit, and he runs off in fear once he sees his insect form. Gregor’s father would then drive “[Gregor] backward [back into his room], uttering hissing sounds like a wild man,” and administer “a powerful shove behind” him. This act of dehumanization by treating Gregor like he was merely an object eventually becomes worse as he, rather than trying to understand the incident with Gregor’s mom fainting, becomes instantly hostile and violent towards Gregor by physically attacking and lodging an apple in Gregor’s back. Overall, the father’s behaviour towards his son serves as a powerful example of the dehumanizing effects of frustration and fear.
Aside from the trauma inflicted by the Samsa household, the maid also contributes to Gregor’s dehumanization. When the maid first encounters Gregor, she is shocked, but she becomes used to him, becomes hostile towards Gregor, and views him as a pest that must be eradicated. She addresses Gregor as a “dung beetle” and holds a chair high in the air with hostile intent in case he approaches her. While the maid may only be a minor character in The Metamorphosis, her actions towards Gregor show the pervasive nature of dehumanization in society and demonstrate the ease with which individuals can become complicit in mistreating others.
By Part III of the story, Gregor’s family has accepted that he is no longer human. Thus, it is plausible to argue that Gregor's death and what follows are arguably the ultimate act of dehumanization. His sister transforms from a caring individual who took care of Gregor, who becomes tired and exclaims to her father, "It has to go." The use of “it” as a reference to Gregor not only dehumanizes him but also establishes that the last caring member of the family has also lost hope for him and merely sees him as only a “thing” now. Her statement also shows her willingness to let go of any emotional attachment and acknowledgment of Gregor as his brother, a living being, further dehumanizing him and reducing him to an obstacle in their lives that must be removed.
Thus, by this point in the story, it has become clear that Gregor’s position has already been reduced to an object in the eyes of society and his own family, and his humanity has been completely stripped away. As mentioned previously, his family, who once relied heavily on his financial support while at the same time taking his hard work for granted, has abandoned him by leaving him in his room in isolation. Feeling an immense sense of guilt for not being able to provide for his family, alongside being alienated, Gregor dies. Gregor’s death could be interpreted as his final act of service towards his family and relieving them from their burden. Additionally, his death further exemplifies the theme of dehumanization as he dies alone and in isolation, with no family members or others out there to comfort him or mourn his passing. It is important to remember that Gregor’s encounter with his family members gradually diminishes in the story, as his father despises him right away, while his sister slowly grows tired of his existence. Following his death, the family rests and strolls, and the maid disposes of Gregor’s body. The maid once again tells the family, “There’s no need for you to go worrying about how to get rid of that mess in there," depicting his death scene as only a mess and not human-like. The disposal of his body in such a short matter reinforces the idea that he was constantly being treated as nothing more than an object and was unceremoniously disposed of like a piece of garbage. The family does not mourn or feel any sense of sorrow; instead, they show signs of relief as he is no longer around to cause shame and a burden. This final act of his disposal in the story exemplifies the disregard for his humanity or his past life, indicating the extent to which his family and maid have dehumanized him.
With Gregor’s body disposed of at the end of the story, his family sets off, and they leave the house in search of a new apartment. Essentially, this could be viewed as the Samsa family’s willingness to leave behind any trace of Gregor’s existence, emphasizing that he was never a part of their world. The act of leaving the house can also be interpreted as an emotional disconnection from the deceased, meaning the Samsa family is willing to move on and forget about the person who has died, exemplifying a form of dehumanization.
All things considered, Frank Kafka's The Metamorphosis portrays the horrific effects of dehumanization inflicted on Gregor by his family. Gregor's transformation into an insect symbolizes his loss of identity, resulting in his feeling of isolation and loneliness from his family and the outside world. The dehumanizing effects also showcase the importance of human connection for personal fulfillment and well-being. With that being said, Gregor's family's increasing hostility and neglect toward him erase his existence as a human being. As mentioned, his father's use of violence and his sister's removal of his personal belongings all play a part in his dehumanization. Gregor's final act of service towards his family would eventually result in his death, allowing his family to move on with their lives in search of a new beginning.
this is incredible!