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  • Essay / Analyzing Metamorphosis from a Biographical Point

    The Metamorphosis of Franz Kafka contains direct biographical references to Kafka and the life of his family. Gregor's father's dishonest actions stem from Kafka's hatred of his father for his relentless disapproval of Kafka's writings. Kafka portrays Gregor as a lonely and insignificant failure, because that is how Kafka sees himself. Franz's inability to settle down with a woman is silently noted in Gregor Samsa's character, as is Kafka's low self-esteem. Although it is not easy to notice, Kafka's relationship with his youngest sister is also reflected in The Metamorphosis between Gregor and Grete. They get along very well for most of the story, but Gregor eventually feels betrayed. Kafka used the characters from The Metamorphosis to form a literary model of his own twisted relationships with his family members and with himself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Franz Kafka's dark literary style is undeniably original and has earned him his reputation as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century century. His strange labors were fueled by a staggering amount of family stress and self-loathing. Much of this stress came from his father, Hermann Kafka, who disapproved of Franz's writing, lifestyle and physique. Kafka's father overshadowed him so much that Franz developed a stutter only when speaking to his father. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa's father treats his son with a comparable lack of respect. When Gregor's father sees Gregor in insect form outside his room, he brutally throws an apple at his son, almost killing him. Earlier in The Metamorphosis, it was revealed that Gregor was the only member of his family who worked, supporting his mother, father, and sister. During this wealthy period, Gregor's father had saved money but told Gregor nothing about it. While this money was available, Gregor worked tirelessly at a job he hated: paying off his father's debt. The connection between the twisted father-son relationships in Kafka's life and in The Metamorphosis is undeniable and clearly refers to biographical elements of The Metamorphosis. The most depressing thing in Franz Kafka's life was his total isolation from everyone and everything around him. As Jews, the entire Kafka family was isolated from the majority of the population of their hometown, Prague. Additionally, Franz personally felt more inclined toward intelligence than most of his ancestors. This prevented Franz from attaching himself, among other things, to his heritage. Kafka even proclaimed that he felt isolated from God himself, whom he called "the true indestructible being." If we project Kafka onto the character of Gregor Samsa again, further similarities can be seen. Both were quite old, but unmarried and were forced to live with their parents. Gregor's habit of locking all his doors (even at home) serves to further isolate himself from the rest of the world, including his family. Further similarities can be found even in the minutest details of Kafka's writing. At the beginning of The Metamorphosis, when Gregor discovers that he is an insect, he says that he is in "a real room" intended for human habitation. The use of the word "human" isolates Gregor from the rest of his original species only in the second paragraph of the entire story. In Gregor's room there is a photo of a woman in furs to whom he has become attached over time. He climbs the wall to prevent his mother and sister from taking him out of his room..