Marxist Themes and the Loss of Humanity in Kafka's The Metamorphosis - Research Paper Example

Marxist Themes and the Loss of Humanity in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” Introduction Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” isa strange tale of a man, Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a bizarre bug-like creature. He is restricted to live in his bedroom with no human contact. As sole provider, his incapacitation leaves the family struggling to make ends meet. They begin to resent him and blame him for their suffering. Finally, he realizes he is a burden to his family and they want him gone. He then wills himself to die, and his family is released from their obligations to him. “Metamorphosis” addresses issues such as alienation, estrangement from family, economic hardships and suicide. The story is a narrative about the loss of humanity. It is a story about the negative effects of capitalism. Kafka’s story merges these themes with an underlying subtext about a capitalistic society. He shows the evil and dehumanizing effects of a laissez faire attitude in society. These topics are as important in today’s world as they were in 1912 when the story was written. An anthropological perspective seeks to gain a holistic understanding of humankind. The story’s subtext offers insights into the cultural, economic and social issues of the time in which it was written. This is why to fully understand the contribution to, and place of “Metamorphosis” in world literature, we must analyze it from this holistic perspective. Discussion At the beginning of the story, the reader learns about the tedious nature of Gregor’s job as a travelling salesman. He hates going to work and wishes he could quit but he keeps at it for the sake of his family. When he turns into a bug, he is at first relieved that he does not have to go to work. This wish comes to haunt him later. He cannot go anywhere nor have any real human contact. His family keeps him hidden from everyone. His wish for freedom from his salesman job becomes his undoing as it isolates him completely. It also makes him a burden to a family that can no longer support itself. He is literally and metaphorically a bug; a parasite draining his family. The alienation and isolation from the rest of humanity eventually depress him to the point of death. Although suicide is not out rightly mentioned, it is heavily implied. Kafka explores the theme of anomie, that is, how the industrial society robs people of their humanity and drives them to anomie suicide. A Marxist interpretation may also be inferred from the dehumanizing effect of capitalism and industrial-era labor. The work is unrewarding and unsatisfying, driving people to the edge. “The fruits of his labor were transformed into the provision of money” (Kafka 472). This causes a desire for isolation and a desire to quit working. Gregor’s metamorphosis can be attributed to the dehumanization he suffered in life eventually becoming actualized. He slowly degenerates and eventually dies. Loss of identity is another theme explored by Kafka. When Gregor becomes a bug, he loses his ability to speak. His appearance causes people to scream and run away in fear. He is trapped in his room because people are afraid of him. Even when he is injured, no one aids him. He survives on scraps and garbage. This means that he is no longer considered human. He is a lower form of life, a bug. To the people around him, he has lost what it means to be human. Yet in reality, it is the people who lack humanity. They are cold, cruel and unfeeling. The concept of society’s detachment from human emotions and feelings is explored here. Humans are often more cruel to each other than could ever be imagined. Gregor’s family is a representation of a society that has lost its humanity; a society that is unkind to each other and only out to benefit themselves (Sokel 11). Loss of identity in the industrial worker is one of the key elements of Marxist ideology on capitalism. This laissez-faire approach to life, that is, everyone for themselves, is the epitome of a capitalistic society. The theme of family ties is also explored. Gregor’s family unit is not bound together by love or familial ties, but by economic circumstances. When Gregor is providing for the family, he is accepted, if not tolerated. When he loses his commercial viability, he quickly loses his worth to the family. At first he hopes that his father, mother and sister will understand and accept his condition. This illusion is quickly dashed when he is brutally pushed back into his room by his father and even injured. The family rejects him completely, to the point that they abhor him. The climax of their hate is achieved when they start wishing for his death. The weakness of family ties in this society is shocking yet predictable. It is the inevitable outcome of a society that promotes individualism at the expense of the community. It is the end product of a society that ties a person’s worth to how much they can earn. Gregor is only as valuable as the money he brings in. His productivity is not measured in terms of personal value, talent or creativity, but in cold, hard cash. Marx and Engels, the authors of the infamous “The Communist Manifesto”, echo this sentiment: The bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation (Marx and Engels 771). His lack of satisfaction with his personal and family life is reflected in his disillusioned outlook. The “Metamorphosis” also delves into the socio-economic condition of the time. The family depicted in the story is well-off and middle class. This is attributable to Gregor’s hard work to keep the family afloat when his father was incapacitated (Bloom 106). The family undertakes ventures such as taking on lodgers and hiring a cheaper servant to stay afloat. The family works hard to keep their son’s fate unknown. They hide him to avoid what they perceive as shame and ridicule from society. This illustrates the importance these people placed on being in the good books of society. They value other people’s opinions of them more than they value their own son. Society has inculcated people into a shallow and materialistic approach to life. The Samsa family takes dire measures to keep up appearances (Scott 40). Marxist theory lists class stratification as one of the major indications of an industrialized society. This stratification is an inevitable result of one group of people living off another group’s sweat. The family is desperate not to fall below their class. Even when it is clear that they cannot afford a servant, they opt to employ a cheap charwoman. It is important to them that their daughter does not engage in menial house work. Though they are on the verge of poverty, the family still feels the need to appear better than another person. They need to play the bourgeoisie to someone else’s proletariat. This obsession with class leads to further dehumanization; the family treats their son cruelly to maintain their class. Their resentment is further fuelled by the fact that they blame him for their dire circumstances. They fail to appreciate his earlier hard work because they feel he owes them their expensive upkeep. Gender roles also come into play as the males are responsible for the upkeep of the family. The son becomes the breadwinner in the absence of the father. The women are not expected to contribute financially. Grete is absolved of any duties; she lounges about the house as befits her class. Her brother works hard so that the family can afford to send her to the Conservatorium where she can play the violin. Only when conditions become too difficult does she get a job as a store clerk. Their mother, Frau Samsa knits lingerie to make ends meet. In contrast, Herr Samsa gets a job at the bank. This shows that proper and meaningful employment for women was scarce at the time. This is an indication of a patriarchal system where men control the wealth disproportionately. At the end of the story, Mr. and Mrs. Samsa are contemplating marrying her off as they notice that she has grown. The value of women in this society is little to none. The only way for Grete to be of use is by getting married, preferably to a wealthy suitor. This further underlines the society’s preoccupation with class and wealth to the exclusion of all else. It demonstrates that society does not attribute worth to women, and people in general (Charters 761). Conclusion “The Metamorphosis” is not merely a story about transformation into a bug. Closer analysis reveals social, political and economic messages. The story can be seen as an allegory of society at the time. It is a condemnation of a society that is materialistic and shallow. It reveals how economic concerns reduce human beings to unfeeling animals. Kafka is critical of the capitalistic system’s effects on dehumanizing people. Gregor is revealed to be the only real and compassionate human in the story’s world. He is not the only one who undergoes metamorphosis. His entire family goes through the same process, revealing their true colors in the face of the family tragedy. Their inner selfishness and cruelty is exposed, while Gregor’s kindness and selflessness is what comes out. Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” hence manages to send a strong message about the lack of cultural and societal values at the time. Its message still resonates to date, where issues of isolation, estrangement and materialism still pose a challenge as they did then. Works Cited Bloom, H. Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis.” New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Print. Charters, Ann. The Story and its Writer. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995. Print. Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis.” The Art of the Short Story. New York: Longman, 2006: 467-500. Print. Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. “The Communist Manifesto.“ The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: Norton, 2001: 769-773. Print. Scott, N. Rehearsals of Discomposure: Alienation and Reconciliation in Modern Literature: Franz Kafka, Ignazio Silone, & D.H. Lawrence. New York: King’s Crown Press, 1952. Print. Sokel, W. “From Marx to Myth: The Structure and Function of Self-Alienation in Kafka’s Metamorphosis.” The Dove and the Mole: Kafka’s Journey into Darkness and Creativity. California: Undena, 1987: 1-12. Print. Essay Outline: The Metamorphosis I. Introduction a. “The Metamorphosis” contains Marxist themes. b. Thesis statement: Gregor represents the loss of humanity in society. II. Body: Discussion, Criticisms and Supports. a. Isolation, alienation and anomie in Gregor Samsa. b. Loss of identity in a materialistic and individualistic world. c. Sacrifice of family values to money. d. Class struggles and their effect on familial ties. e. The position of women in an industrialized society. III. Conclusion a. The harmful effects of capitalism, materialism and individualism. b. The loss of humanity to economic concerns. Essay Notes on “The Metamorphosis” The story’s dark tone speaks out to me. The life and death of Gregor Samsa represents the situation faced by so many people. Sadness, alienation, feelings of worthlessness – all these themes still resonate to date. Young people of today are especially represented by Gregor Samsa. The story illustrates how serious the problem of materialism is in today’s society. It shows the shift in values from family and community to self and individual prosperity. This loss of values has permeated society and transformed it negatively. Gregor represents the loss of humanity in society. These themes are important to people who are experiencing loss of direction and self-worth. It gives people hope and inspiration to stay kind and stay human even when faced by ruthless and evil people. The scholars cited emphasize Kafka’s point: that modernism and capitalism are driving people to ruin. Sokel points out the similarities, including almost in text, of Marxist theories and Kafka’s story. The life of Gregor represents the industrial worker bee that Marx writes about in his theories. Charters traces the feelings of inferiority and lack of self-worth in Gregor back to Kafka himself. The lack of family bonds while growing up influenced his outlook on life. The society does not attribute value to women unless they are married. It does not value men unless they are earning. Scott talks of the alienation Gregor suffers and how his role is quickly replaced by his father. This illustrates the fact that according to Marxist theory, no one is irreplaceable or indispensable. Useful Links: Smith, J. Short stories for students. Vol. 12. Available at the Gale Group Literature Resource Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1430005577&v=2.1&u=sct1&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w. Klingstein, S. The Metamorphosis. Overview. Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Available at the Gale Literature Resource Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1420004477&v=2.1&u=sct1&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w Harris, L. Overview: The Metamorphosis, Characters in 20th Century Literature. Available at the Gale Resource Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1430001267&v=2.1&u=sct1&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w http://web.arizona.edu/~guide/textincontext_shen.htm http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/may/16/karl-marx-psychology-alienation http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3333124?uid=3738336&uid=2&uid=4&sid=56034940583 Read More