The Symbolic Nature of Sacrifice and Transformation in...

â€Å"The Making of an Allegory,† by Edwin Honig and â€Å"Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as Death and Resurrection Fantasy,† by Peter Dow Webster illuminate how sacrifice and transformation are a vital part of the deeper meaning of The Metamorphosis. Gregor Samsa is an ordinary young man until he wakes up one day as a giant vermin; metamorphosised into something horrendous and reviled by the world. Through Honig’s and Webster’s critical essays, this transformation, as well as many more, and sacrifice made by all involved are explored in a thorough and definitive way. In â€Å"The Making of an Allegory,† Honig illustrates how the family structure is altered and strengthened by Gregor’s transformation and, in turn, his seclusion. Honig’s syntax defines†¦show more content†¦His syntax and imagery clearly state his view as to how the major change in Gregor causes a major change in his entire family. In â€Å"F ranz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as Death and Resurrection Fantasy,† Webster clarifies how Gregor is not the only one transformed by his situation, as well as the negative effects that have been brought on by it. The tone used by Webster in his essay brings about this negative feel towards the transformation itself, as well as a cynic view towards most of the novel, especially the title. â€Å"Metamorphosis is misleading as a title,† because it entails that only one person or being is being metamorphosised; instead, â€Å"it should be pluralized since the whole family†¦father, mother, and sister†¦are equally transformed.† By giving a reason as to why the title is erroneous, Webster expresses his disturbance towards the title and that Kafka should have realized this and given the proper form of the word. He declares that â€Å"Grete†¦finally refers to†¦Gregor as ‘It’ and insists that unless he is rejected†¦the whole family will disintegrate,† interpreting Grete’s altered view towards him as a sign that she has also grown up through this. The syntax displayed only adds to the negativity towards not just the title, but other parts of the book. Grete’s sudden outburst combines with the syntax of other pieces in the article to display Webster’s assertion on the negativity of the whole family’s transformation. This contrasts with the positive outlook towards itShow MoreRelatedThe Metamorphosis Kafka Analysis959 Words   |  4 PagesThe Metamorphosis: Fiction German novelist, Franz Kafka is widely regarded for his work, The Metamorphosis (1915), in which he fuses elements of fantasy and realism. Throughout the narrative Kafka effortlessly conveys several examples of fiction that appeal to me. While reading, at moments I was compelled to feel sad, satisfied or even utterly shocked. There are always elements in a novel that we, the readers, deem acceptable or unacceptable in relation to how it makes us feel, how we relate andRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1709 Words   |  7 PagesIn Franz Kafka’s â€Å"The Metamorphosis,† Gregor Samsa deals with the alienation from his family stemming from both absurd and mundane circumstances. While Gregor’s transformation into a bug is the catalyst to his physical alienation, Gregor had for years been becoming more and more isolated mentally and emotionally from his family due to his displeasure at his having to work a job he hated due to his father’s failings and t he lack of gratitude he received from his family for his hard work. It was notRead MoreKafkas The Metamorphosis : Societal Normality Versus The Individual1626 Words   |  7 PagesKennedy captures the essence of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis by identifying the principle struggle faced by Gregor as he experiences life following his inexplicable transformation â€Å"into a horrible vermin.†(1) The Metamorphosis explores the existential dichotomy between the societal pressure of conformity and the individuals drive for meaning, the resulting message being the necessity of societal rejection in achieving true existentialism. Viewing the The Metamorphosis as an examination of motivationRead MoreThe Death Of Ivan And The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka2047 Words   |  9 Pagesinevitable concern that no one can understand completely. While it has the potential to instill fear, the thought of death also instigates individuals to reflect upon the life he or she has lived. In â€Å"The Death of Ivan Ilych† by Leo Tolstoy and â€Å"The Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka, the two authors capture this reflecting of life within the lives of Ivan Ilych and Gregor Samsa. Although both Ivan Ilych and Gregor Samsa experience an unfortunate fate of death, the protagonists were able to find self-knowledge