Ben Finkelstein English 101 3/30/2012 The Metamorphosis: A transformation purely physical In the metamorphosis, Gregor the main character suffers from a hideous transformation. When he goes to bed one night, Gregor is justa normal traveling salesman who supports a slightly ungrateful family, but when he awakens, he has transformed into a vermin, or a giant insect. The metamorphosis examines how his transformation has changed his relationship with his familyand how his daily life is altered.Post transformation, Gregor still suffers from many of the ailments that he suffered when he was normal. However his condition has enhanced these ailments, and made them more transparent to Gregor. In one scene in particular we can see the affects that Gregor's transformation has on his previous condition. Gregor's encounter with the manager not only shows his alienation after his conversion, but the roots of the ostracization that began long before he transformed. Upon awaking as a monstrous vermin, Gregor's mind has been relatively unaltered. Gregor is able to form rational and coherent thoughts even in his condition. His mental capacity is not affected by the transformation, only his body. He awakes that fretful morning to the arrival of his manager inquiring why he missed the early train.Upon hearing no reply through the door, the manager demands that Gregor open the door, and provide answers for him. With the eventual opening of the door, and the chaos that ensues, Gregor continues to think rationally. Gregor is not concerned with his safety, or the fact that he has scared the manager with his appearance, but is in fact worried about losing his job. The loss of one's job is devastating to any human, but not that of a bug.Gregor realizes that he must not let the manager leave if he wants to keep his position. Gregor knows that " he must on no account let the manager go away in this mood if his
position in the firm were not to be jeopardized in the extreme " (Kafka 14)Kafka uses the
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