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similarities between kafka and gregor
- First off, there is a subconscious connection between Kafka and Gregor Samsa- their names are kind of alike.
- Kafka at this point in his life was living at home with his parents, although he was a grown business man, not unlike Gregor.
- This bug that he metamorphisized into was not just an insect.
- In German, the word he used was Ungezieter, which is a word used by the Germans in reference to Jews. A better translation in English is "monstrous vermin"
[note: the following was brought to my attention on 2/8/02: "...[Ungezieter] was used by the Nazis and not just Germans in general, plus what does that have to do with Kafka? He died before Hitler came to power! Second of all, the word is NOT Ungezieter. It is UngezieFer. Yes, with an F. And no it does not mean "monstrous vermin." "ungeheueren Ungeziefer" means "monstrous vermin" Ungeziefer just means vermin." thanks for this correction.]
- Second, a bug is a spineless creature, which may have some deeper meaning that translates over to Kafka himself.
- In German, the word he used was Ungezieter, which is a word used by the Germans in reference to Jews. A better translation in English is "monstrous vermin"
- His occupation was a traveling salesman, but he put himself under so much more stress than the other salemen- he got up at 4 every morning, and often was finalizing deals before the other men even got up for breakfast.
- He is alone- he's traveling a lot, so he can't have close relationships with other people, and he is the only source of income for the family.
- He is overly burdened- far too loyal to his company (he hasn't missed a day of work in 5 years).
- He was spineless- whatever people told him to do, he would do it.
- And the more dedicated he becomes to his company, the higher their expectations run- Gregor brought this on himself.
- The imagery of his boss is that he's sitting up on a throne-esque kind of thing, he's hard to communicate with because of his lack of hearing, and he feels like a small creature who can't talk.
- Later when the chief clerk comes in, it mentions his patent leather boots- the fear of a bug, because boots squash little bugs like nothing.
- In the beginning, it notes he locks his doors at night, he sets himself apart from his family and isolates himself in his room.
- Ironically, this is his fate- for his family at the end locks their doors on him.
- The woman in fur (picture) may represent love or a life of ease.
- Each section of the story ends with Gregor coming out of his room, but being chased back inside by his father.
- There is a psychological dominance there, quite similar to the dominance of the father in Kafka's story "The Judgment". In Kafka's life, he most likely did feel this inferiority to his father, because his dad was physically the opposite of him- strong and outgoing. Kafka tended to be more frail and shy.
- Not only did Kafka renounce his Jewish background, he didn't take his father's business either, so his father gave him good reason to be inferior to him.
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