The Life Of Gregor Samsa - 1383 Words

Lauren Johnson Ariel McCarter English 2B 3 April 2017 The Life of Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis vs. Joseph Merrick, â€Å"Elephant Man† One person who lived a life that greatly resembled Gregor is Joseph Merrick, the â€Å"Elephant Man.† Merrick was afflicted with a genetic disease, possibly Proteus syndrome (James 554), that deformed him to the point that his skin resembled an elephant. There were bony growths on his face and body. From difficulty moving around to challenges with communications, there are many similarities between the two men. However, there are also major differences between them. One of the principal differences is their ability to keep their humanity and enjoy their lives. Their afflictions came on them at different times as†¦show more content†¦Gregor s family found his attempts to talk annoying and irritating. An inability to communicate easily is a huge blow for someone trying to retain some humanity. One great difference between the two men is that Merrick was able to communicate if he had something to write on, whereas Gregor was not able to communicate well at all. Merrick wrote letters to people who he had met and notes to the doctors and staff at the hospital where he spent most of his adult life (Treves 1). Gregor tried to communicate by pushing things around, like his food, and separating the stuff he wanted from what he didn’t, so his sister would know what to bring him. His sister seemed to understand this system of communications as she adjusted his food accordingly, this made it more difficult for him when she stopped picking up on his hints and did the minimum possible to keep him alive. He also pushed things around his room and hid when people were coming in; this showed that he understood that they didn’t want to see him. Another major difference between the two men was that Gregor always had a place to live. Merrick’s father and step-mother kick ed him out of the house when he was 15. After that, he lived with an uncle for a while, but when the uncle’s family got too large to support another person he went to a workhouse (Howell Ford 51). Gregor always had a place to live, it was the apartment he had rented for hisShow MoreRelatedThe Life Of Gregor Samsa By Franz Kaftka1397 Words   |  6 PagesThe story of Gregor Samsa by Franz Kaftka began with him more or less already being transformed into a nondescript insect. He then began his descent into a bug-like state through slowly ceasing the few actions, thoughts and things that made him human. The more he accepted his state as an insect and the less of a place he held as the family’s breadwinner, the more he disappeared into his physicality. Although it may outwardly appear that Gregor’s physical transformation into an insect happened atRead MoreAnalysis Of Franz Kafka s The Metamorphosis 1711 Words   |  7 PagesGerman-speaking fiction writer of the 20th century, uses a unique style of writing that many people believe is a telling of his own life story. In his well-known short story, â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, many similarities and connections can be seen between the main character, Gregor Samsa, and the author himself, Franz Kafka. A major comparison that can be made is the fact that both Samsa and Kafka died slow, lonesome deaths after being in a dysfunctional relationship with their families and especially their fatherRead MoreThe Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka1052 Words   |  4 Pagespredominant ideal that is seen through Gregor Samsa and his father in The Metamorphosis is that choice is the opportune of the individual. One’s ultimate goal in life is to successfully find a balance between work and leisure. 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Although he is an adult, he livesRead MorePersonal Experiences Reflected in Metamorphosis by Gregor Samsa1061 Words   |  5 Pagesmany of his life experiences into his work The Metamorphosis. The Metamorphosis presents many connections between the life of the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, and Kafka himself. Some literary analysts claim it serves as an outlet for his distraught life. Based on the events of Gregor Samsa’s life, it can be deduced that Franz Kafka used his personal experiences as an inspiration for The Metamorphosis. Kafka portrays the relationship he had with his father through the relationship of Gregor and Mr.Read Moreâ€Å"Analysis of Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka938 Words   |  4 Pagesomniscient by an anonymous figure who tells the story of protagonist Gregor Samsa in a neutral tone. The story was published in 1915 and is primarily about the effects of Samsa’s transformation into a large and monstrous bug. Kafka’s use of irony, symbolism and, major themes make a strong impact. The story takes place in a room of an apartment with no definite historical date or geographical location. It starts one morning when Samsa â€Å"found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect†Read MoreFranz Kafka s The Metamorphosis1222 Words   |  5 Pagesthose around them to face the sometimes harsh challenges of day to day life. However, not many often consider the possibility that the family can not only build you up but also tear you down. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis this destruction is what is seen in the Samsa family. Through what they believe to be necessary, Gregor’s family destroys the environment that he knows, Gregor Samsa destroys his family, and Mr. and Mrs. Samsa bring unnecessary destruction to both of their children. The very natureRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1380 Words   |  6 PagesFranz Kafka’s best works of literature. It demonstrates the interconnection between his personal life and the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, of â€Å"The Metamorphosis.† Franz Kafka was born in 1883 and grew up in a financially stable Jewish family in Prague. He was the only son left after the death of his younger brothers, Georg and Heinrich, during his infancy. As a result of this situation, he lived his life in the gloom of his domineering father who put him under constant pressure, because he was the onlyRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1614 Words   |  7 Pagesstructure, form, or appearance, or as a change in form from one stage to the next in an organism’s life. In Franz Kafka’s novella, â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, change is a major theme. The theme of change is significant as the main character, Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, undergoes a metamorphosis of his own as he experiences changes living as a giant insect. However, Gregor’s journey through his new life is not subjective, as his transformation provokes significant changes in his family’s dynamics. InRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1246 Words   |  5 Pageshas kick-started through homogeneity of the object. Moreover, owing to development of IT technology, people can live much more convenient life rather than the past. According to the theory of Alvin Toffler, as the first wave of agriculture society has arrived to the second wave of industry society, economy has developed rapidly {research}. This change makes life more comfortable and affluent. Before the World War 1, the industrial revolution had broken out and it â€Å"drastically altered the economies