LIFE SUCKS!!! Theoretically there is a perfect possibility of happiness: believing in the indestruct
An Existential Transformation
In Franz Kafka’s timeless story The Metamorphosis, protagonist Gregor Samsa awoke up one morning and, “felt an itch up on his belly; pushed himself slowly up on his back towards the headboard so that he could lift his head better; found where the itch was, and saw that it was covered with lots of little white spots which he didn’t know what to make of; and when he tried to feel the place with one of his legs he drew it quickly back because as soon as he touched it he was overcome by a cold shudder” (2). Gregor Samsa turned into a roach. Was his transformation some form of punishment? Was Gregor Samsa trying to pay off some debt? Or simply, was Gregor Samsa just suffering from some sort of existential crisis? Kafka has been, and remains, one of the most controversial and influential German fiction writers in the twentieth century. Kafka’s work often reflects the lives of troubled individuals dealing with nightmarish and hopeless fates. Gregor Samsa, created by Kafka’s existential beliefs, suffers alone until his depressing and unfortunate death.
The reason for Gregor Samsa's death deals with two key concepts of existential thought. First off, Gregor was neglected by his family. Because his family neglected him, Gregor was all alone, and had time to think about the meaning of existence. All though there is no literal proof of this within the text, it can be assumed when Gregor "then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad" (2.) At this moment you can infer that Gregor is indeed focusing on existence, feeling that there is no purpose at the core of it all.
The second reason for Gregor's death are his own feelings of guilt and despair. Gregor "had used to feel a great sense of freedom from doing this, but now was obviously something more remembered than experienced, as what he actually saw in this way was becoming less distinct every day, even things that were quite near; he had used to curse the ever-present view of the hospital across the street, but now he could not see it at all, and if he had not known that he lived in Charlottenstrasse, which was a quiet street despite being in the middle of the city, he could have thought earth mingled inseparably" (17). In the quote above, Gregor is beginning to understand: the meaning of his own existence. Gregor realizes that since now he is trapped inside of an alien body, he will no longer be able to enjoy the things that he used to. He realizes that everything will never be the same, never familiar to him again. When Gregor accepts his existence as a six foot cockroach, he can no longer see, breath, touch, or feel. When Gregor accepts this existence, he is dead already.
Franz Kafka once said, “A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die.” Isn't that exactly what happened to Gregor Samsa? Gregor Samsa was blind; blind to the simplest of gifts that life has to give. He never took anything for granted. He never appreciated anything other than his daily routine of waking up, going to work, coming home and then, the most exciting part of it all, going to bed. Gregor Samsa wasn't a happy man, and it took him a whole metamorphosis for him to understand that. If the definition of existentialism was taken, elaborated and adapted into an odd, surreal, German novella from the early nine-teen hundreds, it would probably have the title "The Metamorphosis". Shocking, I know. Could you have guessed?
In Franz Kafka’s timeless story The Metamorphosis, protagonist Gregor Samsa awoke up one morning and, “felt an itch up on his belly; pushed himself slowly up on his back towards the headboard so that he could lift his head better; found where the itch was, and saw that it was covered with lots of little white spots which he didn’t know what to make of; and when he tried to feel the place with one of his legs he drew it quickly back because as soon as he touched it he was overcome by a cold shudder” (2). Gregor Samsa turned into a roach. Was his transformation some form of punishment? Was Gregor Samsa trying to pay off some debt? Or simply, was Gregor Samsa just suffering from some sort of existential crisis? Kafka has been, and remains, one of the most controversial and influential German fiction writers in the twentieth century. Kafka’s work often reflects the lives of troubled individuals dealing with nightmarish and hopeless fates. Gregor Samsa, created by Kafka’s existential beliefs, suffers alone until his depressing and unfortunate death.
The reason for Gregor Samsa's death deals with two key concepts of existential thought. First off, Gregor was neglected by his family. Because his family neglected him, Gregor was all alone, and had time to think about the meaning of existence. All though there is no literal proof of this within the text, it can be assumed when Gregor "then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad" (2.) At this moment you can infer that Gregor is indeed focusing on existence, feeling that there is no purpose at the core of it all.
The second reason for Gregor's death are his own feelings of guilt and despair. Gregor "had used to feel a great sense of freedom from doing this, but now was obviously something more remembered than experienced, as what he actually saw in this way was becoming less distinct every day, even things that were quite near; he had used to curse the ever-present view of the hospital across the street, but now he could not see it at all, and if he had not known that he lived in Charlottenstrasse, which was a quiet street despite being in the middle of the city, he could have thought earth mingled inseparably" (17). In the quote above, Gregor is beginning to understand: the meaning of his own existence. Gregor realizes that since now he is trapped inside of an alien body, he will no longer be able to enjoy the things that he used to. He realizes that everything will never be the same, never familiar to him again. When Gregor accepts his existence as a six foot cockroach, he can no longer see, breath, touch, or feel. When Gregor accepts this existence, he is dead already.
Franz Kafka once said, “A first sign of the beginning of understanding is the wish to die.” Isn't that exactly what happened to Gregor Samsa? Gregor Samsa was blind; blind to the simplest of gifts that life has to give. He never took anything for granted. He never appreciated anything other than his daily routine of waking up, going to work, coming home and then, the most exciting part of it all, going to bed. Gregor Samsa wasn't a happy man, and it took him a whole metamorphosis for him to understand that. If the definition of existentialism was taken, elaborated and adapted into an odd, surreal, German novella from the early nine-teen hundreds, it would probably have the title "The Metamorphosis". Shocking, I know. Could you have guessed?