"Metamorphosis"

 I thoroughly enjoyed both readings "Samsa in Love" and "Metamorphosis." One thing I found interesting while reading "Metamorphosis" was how the family quickly accepts that Gregor had turned into a giant insect before thinking of a more rational conclusion. If I had been in that situation I would have assumed that Gregor somehow disappeared and maybe the giant insect got into his room through the window before accepting that that was my son or brother. It also surprises me that the family is so offended by Gregor's metamorphosis, and quickly shames him into isolation. If they are so quick to accept the giant insect as their son, why would their trust and love in him change so drastically when he enters a different form? Sure, the sister feeds him in the beginning and the mom wants to enter his room occasionally to help, but after a while, they quickly turn to either apathy or disgust. Greta abandons cleaning his room altogether, and the family gives up on him after only two or three months. The father seriously injures Gregor with the apple. Eventually, their neglect towards him leads to his death. Perhaps this story can be interpreted to shine light on the fact that as humans we base our judgments about a person (or in this case an insect) based on their physical properties. When Gregor was a human, his family loved and admired him. When he was an insect, they were so repulsed they couldn't even look at him. In our society, I have heard of the phenomenon "pretty privilege" which basically states that people who are conventionally attractive are treated better in general than people who are less conventionally attractive. Basically, people are nicer to "pretty people", and "pretty people" have better prospects in terms of job achievement or similar circumstances due to subconscious biases. I am not saying that Kafka wrote this story with the intention of illustrating people's subconscious biases based on looks, but instead that this is one interpretation of his story. Otherwise, Gregor's family should have treated him the same after his metamorphosis, especially since they accept that the insect is in fact Gregor.

Corrina Holcomb