Topic > Analyzing the metamorphosis from a biographical point of view

Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis contains direct biographical references to Kafka and the life of his family. Gregor's father's dishonest actions stem from Kafka's hatred against his father for his implacable disapproval of Kafka's writings. Kafka describes Gregor as a lonely, insignificant failure, because that is how Kafka sees himself. Franz's inability to settle down with a woman is silently noted in the character of Gregor Samsa, as is Kafka's low self-esteem. Although not easily noticeable, Kafka's relationship with his younger sister is also reflected in The Metamorphosis of Gregor and Grete. They get along very well for most of the story, but by the end Gregor feels betrayed. Kafka used the characters of the Metamorphosis to create a literary model of his twisted relationships with his family members and himself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Franz Kafka's dark literary style is unmistakably original and has earned him a reputation as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His strange works were fueled by staggering amounts of family stress and self-hatred. 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 only began to stutter when talking to his father. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa's father treats his son with similar disrespect. When Gregor's father sees Gregor in insect form outside his room, he brutally throws an apple at his son, nearly killing him. It was revealed earlier in The Metamorphosis that Gregor had been the only active member of his family, providing for his mother, father, and sister. During this period of wealth, Gregor's father had saved some money, but had not told Gregor about it. As long as this money was there, Gregor had worked tirelessly in a job he hated, to pay off his father's debt. The connection between the twisted father-son relationships in both Kafka's life and The Metamorphosis is undeniable and clearly points to biographical elements present in The Metamorphosis. The most depressing thing about 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 population of their hometown of Prague. Furthermore, Franz personally found himself more intellectually inclined than most of his ancestors. This prevented Franz, among other things, from attaching himself to his legacy. Kafka even stated 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 emerge. Both were quite old, but were unmarried and forced to live with their parents. Gregor's habit of locking all doors (even the door to his house) serves to further isolate himself from the rest of the world, including his family. Further similarities can be found even in the most minute details of Kafka's writings. 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 in only the second paragraph of the entire story. In Gregor's room there is a photo of a woman in a fur coat that he has grown fond of over time. He climbs the wall to prevent his mother and sister from taking him out of his room. Gregor's attachment to this image symbolizes his lack of contact with women other than his mother and.