I am posting another blog, since I had a hard time getting into the blog the first time and didn't get to finish typing. This is my first time, so it's very interesting and also stressful at the same time with the time limitation.
The chats were very interesting, but they were also fast, so it was challenging with trying to keep up with folks.
The first chat room that Symbolism and we the majority of the folks discussed the following:
Gregor's nightmare, how he wakes up with it and it lasts through the end.
Transformation, his looks and the way he thinks.
The woman in the picture and what she represents to him.
He locks himself in the room in the beginning and his family puts in back in.
The second chat room was Character. Almost everyone agreed that Gregor was a hardworking person that supported his family. Even when he was the bug, he did not harm his family. He also was worried about his families needs over his situation. The big question and concern was how Gregor's family was treating him like the way they did throughout the story? Also why did he turn into a bug? What was significant with it? People also didn't get why no one took that apple out from his back?
The third chat room was Irony.
Some were some examples of irony that we chatted about was:
He provided for the familly and was mistreated and undervalued. (He took care of them for five years and they couldn't for three months).
Ironic that his sister is the one that turns on him.
He was working to pay his father's debt off and his father was the first one to hurt him.
When he needed his family, they were not there for him for support and guidance.
He saved money for Grete to go to school, but she never gets it.
His family only joined the workforce when they were completely broke.
We were trying to figure out how old Gregor was?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Charcters and Potpourri
In the character chat room we started out talking about the functions and personalities of the characters. Most people were upset with Grete for turning her back on Gregor. Some people weren't certain that Gregor ever actually turned into a bug. I felt there was enough evidence to indicate that he had indeed turned into a bug. There was also a lot of disgust for the family turning their backs on Gregor despite the fact that he was single handedly supporting the family and paying off his fathers debt. We started talking about parallels between Gregor and Kafka, there was also some talk about tuberculosis. Someone suggested that the borders could symbolize society. Everyone seemed to hate the father. We talked about how creepy the charwoman was. We wondered what ever happened the doctor after Grete went to get him. Everyone agreed that Gregor probably didn't steal from his work.
In the potpourri chat room we talked about how everyone felt about the story. It seemed like a 50/50 split on whether people liked it or not. We talked a little bit about how the mothers job was sewing lingerie for a clothing store. We talked about how odd it was that at the end of the story everyone liked their job even though none of them wanted to work. We discussed how hard it would be to take care of someone in your own family everyday if they were unable to take care of themselves. Everyone was disappointed that the family was happy when Gregor dies. We talked about if the story had been different had the borders not seen Gregor.
In the potpourri chat room we talked about how everyone felt about the story. It seemed like a 50/50 split on whether people liked it or not. We talked a little bit about how the mothers job was sewing lingerie for a clothing store. We talked about how odd it was that at the end of the story everyone liked their job even though none of them wanted to work. We discussed how hard it would be to take care of someone in your own family everyday if they were unable to take care of themselves. Everyone was disappointed that the family was happy when Gregor dies. We talked about if the story had been different had the borders not seen Gregor.
Symbolism, Character, and Irony
I chatted with my classmates about symbolism, character, and
the irony of the story.
Confinement, Loneliness and Isolation.. Gregor never goes
outside and stays in the house. The closes thing to getting out seeing the
world is by the breeze that comes through the window.
Although Gregor’s outward appearance changes, he is still
the same person inside. When he finds out that he turned into this big insect,
it doesn’t even bother him. Going to work late bothered him more. His mind was
still the same as before. He was a hard
worker for the family and they did not appreciate him for everything that he
did for them before and after he turned into the insect.
The irony is that he was alone when he changed in the beginning
in the room and in the end he also dies there alone. He was always a loner.
Blog post for Metamorphosis
In the setting group for part one of the discussion, I learned of a greater meaning from William that Kafka was trying to relate the philosophic thought of existentialism to Gregor's character. Through this, Kafka was trying to show the absurdity of the life that Gregor leads and that he was "morphing" away from that life. I didn't quite understand what William meant at first, but after discussing with others in the irony group for part two, I think I gained a greater meaning. In the irony group we talked about how ironic it was that prior to his metamorphosis, Gregor was the primary provider for his family and when he turned into a bug his family looked at him as a great burden. In the beginning of the book, I think that Kafka was trying to show the absurdity of Gregor's life in that he was so worried about money and providing for his family that that was the only purpose to his life.
I think that Gregor began to morph away from that purpose when he began to realize that his family took everything he had done for granted. When his family figures out that he is an insect, their first thought is how are they going to support themselves? When they finally do get jobs, it becomes a nuisance for them to take care of Gregor in a time period of less than a few months. Gregor knows that he has taken care of his family for the last five years and by being a burden to his family in such a short period of time, the existential thought of alienation kicks in and he goes through his metamorphosis. One question that I felt went unanswered was why Kafka chose to use an insect and why he did not specify which insect Gregor had turned into. When I think about it, it kind of makes sense, as all insects go through a metamorphosis between the different cycles of their life. Because all bugs do that, he did not necessarily need to specify which insect Gregor had turned into!
I think that Gregor began to morph away from that purpose when he began to realize that his family took everything he had done for granted. When his family figures out that he is an insect, their first thought is how are they going to support themselves? When they finally do get jobs, it becomes a nuisance for them to take care of Gregor in a time period of less than a few months. Gregor knows that he has taken care of his family for the last five years and by being a burden to his family in such a short period of time, the existential thought of alienation kicks in and he goes through his metamorphosis. One question that I felt went unanswered was why Kafka chose to use an insect and why he did not specify which insect Gregor had turned into. When I think about it, it kind of makes sense, as all insects go through a metamorphosis between the different cycles of their life. Because all bugs do that, he did not necessarily need to specify which insect Gregor had turned into!
In part two of the Irony chat room we talked about how ironic it was that Gregor devoted his life to taking care of his family and how he did all he could possibly do to provide and give them a comfortable life. Then when Gregor transformed into this bug like state most of the family just sort of abandoned him. Even at the end Grete totally abandons Gregor and ultimately wants to get rid of him. I understand that maybe Grete could've live with the fact that this was her brother and he was never going to change back ever to what she knew him to be before. I feel like Kafka felt abandoned by his family as well, because he didn't live up to his fathers expectations of him. It's ironic or probably made to be that Gregor and Kafka are one in the same. Kafka probably was writing in a descrete way to the reader unknown of his background how he was feeling in his life. Maybe Kafka felt like he wished for just one break in his life. One handout that he could work off of that would open a door to a new/different life then the one he was living.
My learning experience
In the lecture chat room for part one, we discussed some of the parallels between Kafka and Gregor. The irony between the relationships with people in their lives, as well as feeling alienated from the rest of the world. One thing that really stuck out to me was when someone stated, "There is some purpose to why this novel was simple yet so complicated." It got me thinking, the idea of the novel was so simple, but I feel it really gives you a completely different perspective, a sense of being part of the book. I felt the emotions expressed when Gregor felt alienated from the rest of the world, how it feels to be an outcast. I admit that there have been times in my life where I've felt like the outcast, but I never necessarily felt that's its ever a bad thing. It made Gregor depressed, and he felt like he didn't have a purpose. In the chat, one person said, "You feel sad for Gregor because he isnt worth much, his only point in the family was to work harder and harder to provide but never really give any emotion. When he wakes up as a bug, he is unable to provide, thus becoming even more worthless." There was also a discussion between the nihilistic view of the book, and the view of existentialism. I felt that the novel was more of a existentialistic in the beginning, but post-metamorphosis, Gregor takes on the view of nihilism. He figured out what he enjoyed in the beginning, what he liked to eat and do, and attempted to find his purpose in my opinion. But based on his situation with his family, I feel that he lost sight of that perspective and eventually felt there was no purpose, he was just a burden.
In the present-day chat room for part two, there was a discussion of how Gregor may suffer from a terminal illness and feels somewhat disabled from communicating with people. Someone also brought up the idea that maybe he just woke up and had a realization. The idea of nihilism and existentialism was also brought up here as well. I learned a lot of different and alternate view points on how everyone else felt about the book. In my opinion, I felt that he actually did turn into a bug in a sense. Mental disorder or not, he turned into what he felt like. He experienced the physical characteristics of a bug, the struggles, and the alienation from the rest of the world. When people put it in terms of Gregor being "alienated" from the rest of the world, I thought of it in terms of almost extra terrestrial. In my opinion, I do believe that aliens exist somewhere in the universe and have came to our planet and had some something to do with our creation and our development as a species. But in reality, not many people believe that perspective. Even if you don't believe that may be true, think about it as a hypothetical situation. If we were aware of alien presence on our planet, would they feel how Gregor felt, or would they feel they have a purpose? If we were in that position, but surrounded by aliens, would we feel alienated? Would we still have a purpose? I guess that is one question I still have when it comes to the novel. If Gregor would have not died and been stuck in that predicament, would he still have a purpose? Would he have been successful in doing so, or was he just doomed into a nihilistic view on life?
In the present-day chat room for part two, there was a discussion of how Gregor may suffer from a terminal illness and feels somewhat disabled from communicating with people. Someone also brought up the idea that maybe he just woke up and had a realization. The idea of nihilism and existentialism was also brought up here as well. I learned a lot of different and alternate view points on how everyone else felt about the book. In my opinion, I felt that he actually did turn into a bug in a sense. Mental disorder or not, he turned into what he felt like. He experienced the physical characteristics of a bug, the struggles, and the alienation from the rest of the world. When people put it in terms of Gregor being "alienated" from the rest of the world, I thought of it in terms of almost extra terrestrial. In my opinion, I do believe that aliens exist somewhere in the universe and have came to our planet and had some something to do with our creation and our development as a species. But in reality, not many people believe that perspective. Even if you don't believe that may be true, think about it as a hypothetical situation. If we were aware of alien presence on our planet, would they feel how Gregor felt, or would they feel they have a purpose? If we were in that position, but surrounded by aliens, would we feel alienated? Would we still have a purpose? I guess that is one question I still have when it comes to the novel. If Gregor would have not died and been stuck in that predicament, would he still have a purpose? Would he have been successful in doing so, or was he just doomed into a nihilistic view on life?
metamorphosis
What I liked about this book was that it was full of science fiction and that made it difficult to discover the possible meanings. It was very complex and definitley made me think. I think that some of the meanings could be that his condition was a metaphor and something that is assumed. In the discussions I joined we talked about if Gregor was a bug at all, or if he was just socially isolating himself. This explanation makes a lot of sense to me because it gave a sort of realism to the book. We also discussed how this metaphor could be used today with how we treat sick loved ones. These people are sent to live with help or if they live at home they could be seen as a burden becasue they need constant care.
Another thing we discussed was the similarities between Gregor and Kafka. The father figure was similar in both Kafka's life and Gregor's life. Another similarity is that Grete is a big part of both of their lives. In Kafka's life, Grete was his girlfriend and in Gregors life, Grete was his younger sister. I also thought that both men felt isolated in their situations. Gregor felt like he was an outsider in his family because of what he turned into and wanted to be a part of something but couldn't. I believe that Kafka must have also felt this way when he had tuberculosis because he might have less physical contact because he was sick. One of the last similarities was that they both died early and in a horribly painful way.
Another thing we discussed was the similarities between Gregor and Kafka. The father figure was similar in both Kafka's life and Gregor's life. Another similarity is that Grete is a big part of both of their lives. In Kafka's life, Grete was his girlfriend and in Gregors life, Grete was his younger sister. I also thought that both men felt isolated in their situations. Gregor felt like he was an outsider in his family because of what he turned into and wanted to be a part of something but couldn't. I believe that Kafka must have also felt this way when he had tuberculosis because he might have less physical contact because he was sick. One of the last similarities was that they both died early and in a horribly painful way.
Setting & Irony
The first chat room I entered was the “Setting”
room, where we were directed to discuss the importance of setting in the
novel. As I’m sure I won’t be the only
one to mention, William shared a really unique perspective on Gregor’s
experience waking up in his bedroom as a bug. He stated that he thought this was a metaphor and
was actually meant to represent Gregor “waking up”, as in coming to his senses,
and being conscious of the world. Former
human things, such as alarm clocks and his favorite meals, no longer affected
or appealed to him. His room was dirty,
dusty, dark, small and dingy, and as his sister and mother removed the furniture
piece by piece it became more like an empty cube—essentially a cage--with no
real evidence of ever having a human inhabitant except for a couch and Gregor’s
framed magazine ad of a woman wearing fur.
We also noted that it was strange that out of all the items Gregor was
able to save from being removed, he chose the picture; even stranger yet was
the fact that the picture was of a complete stranger. I thought this was a really great reflection
and something I would have never considered had we not had this discussion.
In the second chat room of the evening,
the “Irony” room, we discussed various ironic aspects of the novel. We noted that it wasn’t until Gregor turned
into a bug that the family miraculously had the strength to work, where before
his father had been unemployed for 5 years and neither his mother nor sister
had a job. We felt as though the family
was ungrateful for all that Gregor had done to keep the family’s home and
provide for them, and instead of working themselves they chose to just let him
bear the burden. Several of us also
noticed a bit of strangeness concerning Gregor’s relationship with his sister,
Grete. (The fact that the name was that
of Kafka’s former flame didn’t help.) This was sort of ironic in that it was
similar to Victor Frankenstein’s relationship with his adopted sister,
Elizabeth. It was obviously ironic that
his family actually seemed happy
once Gregor finally died (as if they had even tried to help him stay alive…) We mentioned how it was ironic that what began
as Gregor’s sanctuary (a young man’s bedroom) turned into a prison, but
ultimately was his haven yet again as he was able to crawl freely from floor to
ceiling without the judgment of others.
Lastly, we pointed out the irony in the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Samsa
treated the 3 strangers that were renting rooms almost as though they were
kings, yet treated Gregor so poorly… Especially considering the fact that he
essentially paid for the place
with his hard-earned money!
The big question I’m left with, that is
most likely unanswerable and rather left to interpretation, is: How did Gregor turn into a bug?
keeping up
I found that this style of classroom work was hard to keep up with, the post came fast and furious and thoughts that I had were already being discussed. when going into the character room I found that the most interesting topic was Gregor himself and that in a sense his transformation may not have been a real one but a psychological one. His father was uncaring for the fate of his bread winner and his sister who in the beginning of the book really wanted to care for him gave up on him as well. I guess that is part of the irony of the story you are alone in this world, I mean Gregor changed alone in his room and died alone in his room. When I went into the lecture room it was the similarities between Kafka and Gregor the both were expected to make money for the family but in the end they became helpless and a burden.
I have several questions on the book itself that I did not find answered in the db boards or in the chat rooms. My first question is why did Gregor stay he could have left to fend for himself, but that is more than likely a wrong because in the book it was stated that the could barely get out of his own bedroom door. My first impression on the book which I read twice was how uncaring his family was,
I think that they knew it was Gregor but that he had transformed into this hideous bug that seemed to know what pleased them and what did not. He would hide under a couch to spare his sister the sight of him, and he would show them that rotten food is what he liked to eat. But its like they lost interest in what needed to be done and only cared for themselves. At some point his room became a dumping ground for things that they did not use anymore it was dust covered and filthy. Even at the end they were happy that he had died his father even praising god that it was over and then they could move on with they're lives.
I have several questions on the book itself that I did not find answered in the db boards or in the chat rooms. My first question is why did Gregor stay he could have left to fend for himself, but that is more than likely a wrong because in the book it was stated that the could barely get out of his own bedroom door. My first impression on the book which I read twice was how uncaring his family was,
I think that they knew it was Gregor but that he had transformed into this hideous bug that seemed to know what pleased them and what did not. He would hide under a couch to spare his sister the sight of him, and he would show them that rotten food is what he liked to eat. But its like they lost interest in what needed to be done and only cared for themselves. At some point his room became a dumping ground for things that they did not use anymore it was dust covered and filthy. Even at the end they were happy that he had died his father even praising god that it was over and then they could move on with they're lives.
What I learned- Tim
Although the chat session was hard to get used to and at times hard to keep up, I did learn some interesting things from other classmates about The Metamorphosis. A couple of the chat rooms discussed the connection between Kaftka and Gregor. Reading people's responses really helped me realize how much the two are similar. They both have a dramatic life change that causes others to treat them differently. After Gregor's metamorphosis he realizes that he is burdening his family and I think that Kaftka probably felt the same. Someone posted that the book represents existentialism and I think that is an accurate statement. Kaftka probably woke one day and realized that he had undergone a metamorphosis because of his tuberculosis. It seems appropriate that Kaftka chose a bug for Gregor to transform into, because while bugs are for the most part harmless to us, we are still burdened by their presence, just like Gregor's family was burdened by his presence.
Also one question that I found was repeated in many of the the chat rooms was if Gregor's character could be understood by anyone. This is still unknown to me as I can see how both sides have good arguments. I thought is was very eerie how both Kaftka and Gregor dealt with starvation, Kaftka couldn't eat because of his disease and when Gregor's sister investigated his body she noticed he was malnourished. This is obviously just a coincidence. Another thing that was discussed was the setting of the apartment, and how it may have symbolized how Gregor was trapped. Someone mentioned how the apple that was thrown into Gregor's back symbolized wisdom and that when it stuck into him he started to question what he had become.
What I Learned
The lecture was very informative. One thing that throws me off thought is the term modernism. For me that evokes ideas of more recent times. I suppose given the timeframe of these works and the industrialization happening everywhere around the world it definitely could be seen as modern back then though. The background information about Kafka really puts the story into context. It also makes the suffering that Gregor goes through much more real as we relate it to Kafka's experience. The parallels between the two are uncanny, and that made me feel like (thinking about it after lecture) I really got a glimpse in to what Kafka was going through while he was dying of Tuberculosis. I'm glad that I know that now though, because it gives me a much stronger emotional attachment to the book. This was definitely a great choice, and I'm glad I own it now.
In the discussions that I was in, we elaborated on the connection between Kafka and Gregor. The role of a person in a family unit was also something that I considered as we talked about the differences between Gregor's family and a modern family. That makes Gregor's dedication to his family at his own expense a little bit easier to swallow. Still, I would have like to have seen Gregor attempt more communication, possibly an escape attempt. He let himself get dehumanized, mostly it seemed because he didn't want to burden him. Thinking about this from the mind of Kafka, the sadness of the story (in relation to Kafka's death) is so much more genuine. That was my favorite part of this book. It's one of the most original stories I've read. The only question I have, which is unanswerable, is why did Franz Kafka want his unpublished works to be destroyed? I think I'm going to pick up one of those that he chose not to be published, that would be an interesting read.
In the discussions that I was in, we elaborated on the connection between Kafka and Gregor. The role of a person in a family unit was also something that I considered as we talked about the differences between Gregor's family and a modern family. That makes Gregor's dedication to his family at his own expense a little bit easier to swallow. Still, I would have like to have seen Gregor attempt more communication, possibly an escape attempt. He let himself get dehumanized, mostly it seemed because he didn't want to burden him. Thinking about this from the mind of Kafka, the sadness of the story (in relation to Kafka's death) is so much more genuine. That was my favorite part of this book. It's one of the most original stories I've read. The only question I have, which is unanswerable, is why did Franz Kafka want his unpublished works to be destroyed? I think I'm going to pick up one of those that he chose not to be published, that would be an interesting read.
blog posting
Well in the first chat room we started to talk about the characters and how we described them. We first were talking about how Gregor was being treated and that it was unfair. We felt that there was way to much to say about the father. We talked about him I think the most. He was just a mean guy; it seemed that he didn't really love his son. He never showed him any composition or anything. The father felt he was only in his life to pay the bills. Once he could not pay the bill it seemed all of a sudden his father was able to walk and get up to go to work. The only character that really tried to stay with Gregor was his sister. She was the one that was feeding him and was giving him a chance. But after awhile she even gave up on him and soon that's how he died. Before he died why would he just not want to leave if he new they didn't want him?
The other chat room i was in the potpourri room for a long time. We talked about a lot of random things on what would happen if they hap pend type of thinking. This shows that we were really into the book and thought a long time about it. We also talked about the ending and how it bugged everyone that they saw him dead one day and the next talking about how they got to get the sister a husband. I thought that was very disturbing and made me very upset. How could you just stop thinking about your own son like that? The other chat room i went into was the irony room. This room was not so spread out but we did have really good discussion. I feel that a lot of the ironic things were always based around him. Some examples would be that it was ironic that they would din the borders but not want to feed or try anything with his own son. I thought that was very upsetting. The other one that i remember was that it was ironic why he grabbed the picture in his room. I think he wanted it just so he could have something to stay the same. That was his goal to be wealth and take care of his family. Ironical sense he was not able to do that when he turned they didn't take care of him.
The other chat room i was in the potpourri room for a long time. We talked about a lot of random things on what would happen if they hap pend type of thinking. This shows that we were really into the book and thought a long time about it. We also talked about the ending and how it bugged everyone that they saw him dead one day and the next talking about how they got to get the sister a husband. I thought that was very disturbing and made me very upset. How could you just stop thinking about your own son like that? The other chat room i went into was the irony room. This room was not so spread out but we did have really good discussion. I feel that a lot of the ironic things were always based around him. Some examples would be that it was ironic that they would din the borders but not want to feed or try anything with his own son. I thought that was very upsetting. The other one that i remember was that it was ironic why he grabbed the picture in his room. I think he wanted it just so he could have something to stay the same. That was his goal to be wealth and take care of his family. Ironical sense he was not able to do that when he turned they didn't take care of him.
Poor Kafka/Gregor
At first I was not very impressed with this novel. After listening to Brian's lecture on Kafka and having some background knowledge about who he was and his family life my views changed. Gregor and Kafka have many similarities and I am a little saddened by both of their family lives. I feel as though they were both taken advantage of some what. Like Brian stated in the lecture Kafka felt as though his had such high expectations of him and wanted him to take up a profitable business career as did Gregor was a traveling sales man who provided for his whole family. In a way I feel like Kafka felt like he was a failure because he never did live up to his fathers expectations and this came out in Gregors character. Gregor transforms into this bug like insect and fails to be the sole provider for the family. It's hard to take on such a huge burden to be the sole provider but Gregor did it because he loved his family so much and wanted to do all he could for them. Kafka I feel like if given the chance or an opportunity would've done the same for his family but in the end felt like a failure because he couldn't do so.
One question that I think we talked about and tried to answer is WHY an insect/bug? Is this maybe how Kafka felt of himself? Like he was some sort of useless vermin? Did Kafka feel as if he had nothing to give?
One question that I think we talked about and tried to answer is WHY an insect/bug? Is this maybe how Kafka felt of himself? Like he was some sort of useless vermin? Did Kafka feel as if he had nothing to give?
Chat Sessions Summary
I learned from the chat sessions that every person reads
stories differently. Each person can read the same story and yet, get something
else out of reading it. All of us had some similar questions like how and why
did this transformation occur? Though others had different questions like why
did the family act the way they did. What would you do in the same situation? I
found the sessions to be informative in learning about how others thought about
the story. Also, in talking to all my fellow classmates they opened my mind to
different perspectives and ideas that I had not thought of or figured out
myself. I learned what they thought the picture of the woman in the magazine
meant to Gregor. I learned that many people hated the Samsa family and their
treatment of Gregor after he transformed as much as I did. I learned that the different
themes of the story revolved around the Samsa family as much as around Gregor.
I learned much more from the chat sessions than I know how to write about.
There were many good ideas and conversations with many people in the class.
The questions I still have from the class involve mainly how
Gregor transformed or why? Those are the biggest unanswered questions for me. I
am aware that the ambiguous beginnings are involved in many stories we have
read in lass however, I want some background to the transformation. I feel the
story would have been more enjoyable to me if I would have known something more
about the reason behind his transformation. Also, I have an unanswered question
about the story in general. I wanted there to be more to it. I still cannot
decide how I feel about it because I am unable to figure out whether I liked it
or not. I have a question about that. I wish I could figure that about because
it would help me with the story in general.
The Metamorphosis chat post
In the first half hour of chat I spent a lot of time talking about the author's motivation for choosing an insect as Gregor's new form, as well as talking about the characters and their motivations. I believe Kafka chose an insect because it was a grotesque creature. If he had chosen a dog, for example, the family would have had an easier time relating to him and taking care of him. They may have even decided to keep him and treat him as a pet. Because Kafka wanted the family to react negatively to Gregor's change, he chose an insect--not a widely loved animal. After I switched to talking about the characters, we discussed Gregor's motivation in the novel. Before he was turned into an insect, his whole motivation was to take care of his family to the best of his ability. When he was turned into an insect, at first, he still clung to that purpose, however, when it became clear to him that he could no longer function as any kind of breadwinner in his family--when he realized that they no longer needed him--he died quietly, accepting of his fate.
The family's reaction was another thing we discussed: If you went into a family member's room and saw a giant insect in it, what would you do? There is, of course, no right or wrong answer, but in today's society most people would freak out or, as the saying goes, "shoot first and ask questions later." This family freaked out, tentatively accepted him and then dumped him when it was convenient. When it was realized that he couldn't work, all of the sudden they could. All of their old infirmities didn't seem to matter anymore and then it was inconvenient to have their son around. I think the lecture said this was Kafka commenting on nihilistic philosophy--that the family had no moral obligation towards him.
The questions I still have more revolve around how big he was as an insect--as that was unclear--and how he got to be that way. Also, was it a dream? Was it just symbolism, or are we meant to believe he actually turned into a bug?
What I took from the chats.
During the chats, lots of different topics came up. One that I found interesting was the idea that there was the hint of a romantic relationship between Gregor and Grete, his sister. I didn't necessarily pick up on this while reading the book, but I thought it was an interesting idea. It relates to Victor Frankenstein's relationship with Elizabeth in Frankenstein, because they are siblings and have grown up together. Apparently, Gregor and Grete share a few moments where there is neck kissing and some staring. I would not take this seriously as a sexual/romantic relationship, because I feel that people who lived 100 years ago were perhaps more physical with their platonic loved ones than we are now. I also believe that this type of behavior could be attributed to a few things. One would be that Kafka was very close to his sister in real life, and there was a lot of admiration between the two. The other would be that Kafka had a romantic relationship with a woman named Grete that didn't work out. It's possible that she treated him the way that Grete treats Gregor in the novel. Well at first, and then disturbingly bad later on.
Another thing that was talked about in the chats that's important to me is the way that the apple can be seen as a symbol for Gregor's confinement inside his own bedroom. He's essentially a prisoner in his own home where he used to be the sole provider. The apple is thrown at him by the man that he replaced as the breadwinner in the family, and it serves as a harsh reminder of the physical and emotional pain that he experiences in his new physical form and lifestyle. You would imagine that as the apple rotted and became smaller, the pain in his back would subside. This is not the case, it only becomes more debilitating as it wastes away, as Gregor wastes away in his own cramped space.
For me, the novel is left with unanswered questions. I want to understand why the family treats Gregor the way that they did, and I want to know what comes of the people outside of the family that Gregor affected. I also want to understand better how and why it has nihilistic attributions. I know that nihilism is in a way a denial of anything and everything, skepticism of all things' existence. Perhaps this is a way of explaining Gregor's story? None of it happened, and maybe it's all just a dream, or not even a dream? I guess it is, because someone thought it up and put it into words, but doesn't that make it exist in a way, anyway?
Another thing that was talked about in the chats that's important to me is the way that the apple can be seen as a symbol for Gregor's confinement inside his own bedroom. He's essentially a prisoner in his own home where he used to be the sole provider. The apple is thrown at him by the man that he replaced as the breadwinner in the family, and it serves as a harsh reminder of the physical and emotional pain that he experiences in his new physical form and lifestyle. You would imagine that as the apple rotted and became smaller, the pain in his back would subside. This is not the case, it only becomes more debilitating as it wastes away, as Gregor wastes away in his own cramped space.
For me, the novel is left with unanswered questions. I want to understand why the family treats Gregor the way that they did, and I want to know what comes of the people outside of the family that Gregor affected. I also want to understand better how and why it has nihilistic attributions. I know that nihilism is in a way a denial of anything and everything, skepticism of all things' existence. Perhaps this is a way of explaining Gregor's story? None of it happened, and maybe it's all just a dream, or not even a dream? I guess it is, because someone thought it up and put it into words, but doesn't that make it exist in a way, anyway?
What I learned
In the settings room William brought up a very interesting point of philosophy existentialism, and after a quick trip to Google to see what it is it made me see the book in a bit of a different way. Gregor may or my not have been an actual bug but what he was doing was slipping away from his old lifestyle and family for an unknown reason, some evidence being the building outside his window becoming fuzzy and the removal of his furniture from his room showing how he cant relate to the life he used to have before the metamorphosis.
Another topic that was brought up was why he didn't just leave or why his family kept him around. They relied on him heavily for financial security and to repay their debts to Gregor's boss but after he became a bug and was unable to work anymore they just left him to rot in his room unable to look at him. I know he is family and you don't throw family out but it reminds me of Frankenstein where he cant even stand to look at the monster and all it is doing is worsening his condition making him feel more and more like a bug.
I enjoyed this book a lot but it left so many unanswered questions for me like why were the new tenants and maids so cool with having a giant bug living there or how come nothing was done to try and reverse the effect of him being a giant bug, it seemed like they just let everything slide hoping one day it would work itself out.
Another topic that was brought up was why he didn't just leave or why his family kept him around. They relied on him heavily for financial security and to repay their debts to Gregor's boss but after he became a bug and was unable to work anymore they just left him to rot in his room unable to look at him. I know he is family and you don't throw family out but it reminds me of Frankenstein where he cant even stand to look at the monster and all it is doing is worsening his condition making him feel more and more like a bug.
I enjoyed this book a lot but it left so many unanswered questions for me like why were the new tenants and maids so cool with having a giant bug living there or how come nothing was done to try and reverse the effect of him being a giant bug, it seemed like they just let everything slide hoping one day it would work itself out.
Characters and Potpourri
One thing that we discussed tonight
that really helped me, was relating Gregor’s story to Kafka having TB. Kafka was confined to his parent’s house
after getting sick and thinking about that, this story is much more
understandable. As TB is a transferable
disease, no one would want to be around you when you are sick. Just like Gregor, being confined to his room
after he turned into a bug. His family
didn’t even want to have anything to do with him. His sister tried very hard to take care of
him and do the right thing for a while, but eventually, even she gave up on
him. Gregor’s father really seemed to be
driven by money. When Gregor was no
longer to work to take care of the family, his father really didn’t want
anything more to do with him. Kafka did
not have a great relationship with his father either. At first, after reading this book, I was
really unsure if it had any meaning at all, but after the lecture and the
discussion tonight, it has become clearer to me that this story could relate to
Kafka’s life more than just Gregor turning into a bug.
In addition, we spent some time
discussing if Gregor had really turned into a bug or if he was just sick and
the metamorphosis into a bug was just a metaphor. Personally, I believe that in the story,
Gregor really had become a bug. The fact
that he climbed walls, left goo behind, and the references to his limbs and antennae,
made me believe that he had turned into a bug.
However, some feel that he was ill and that as no one else in the family
actually ever commented on him not being human, he was just thinking he was a
bug. However, to everyone else, he was
just a sick human. I guess this could be
the way Kafka intended, but I am still leaning towards him actually turning
into a bug. Although, as most of this
story didn’t make much sense to me, I could be off on this and he could be just
sick.
Metamorphosis Blog
There were a lot of things discussed during our chat. It really helped me understand the novel a bit better after getting a feel from some of my classmates. In the 'Lecture' room we discussed a number of things about how the the lecture we watched helped with understanding the novel. Some did not get the same feeling I did in that the lecture really helped me make sense of the novel. It made me feel like there was a true connection between Kafka and the main character, Gregor Samsa. I felt Kafka's life in a way mirrored Gregor's aside from the whole bug thing. They both had a rough relationship with their father, both were told to go to work and support their families, and the close relationship with their sisters. An ironic part about Gregor Samsa's relationship with his sister, Grete, and Kafka's relationship with a woman named Grete were a little similar. Both may have started out well but they certainly did not end that way.
In the 'Potpourri' room I really got a good feeling for how people felt about this novel. Some liked it, some loved it, and some hated it. One of my classmates described this novel as intense, and I happen to agree. It deals with a ton of emotions for me, at first mostly confusion but in the end it started to make sense. After watching the lecture it helped even more. There were some questions that came up during the chat that made it pretty fun to take part in. I, along with some classmates, was curious as to why the family chose to stay in the apartment. I still don't feel like I got a good enough explanation on this so any help would be appreciated. I think getting a general feeling about this novel from other people really made me enjoy it much more. I don't disagree with the views of anybody about this novel; I just choose to see it differently.
In the 'Potpourri' room I really got a good feeling for how people felt about this novel. Some liked it, some loved it, and some hated it. One of my classmates described this novel as intense, and I happen to agree. It deals with a ton of emotions for me, at first mostly confusion but in the end it started to make sense. After watching the lecture it helped even more. There were some questions that came up during the chat that made it pretty fun to take part in. I, along with some classmates, was curious as to why the family chose to stay in the apartment. I still don't feel like I got a good enough explanation on this so any help would be appreciated. I think getting a general feeling about this novel from other people really made me enjoy it much more. I don't disagree with the views of anybody about this novel; I just choose to see it differently.
Tonight we talked a lot about the similarities between Gregor and Kafka. Both men were paupers living with their parents. Gregor had never been out on his own, but Kafka had. Both men died young, Kafka of Tuberculosis at age 41 and Gregor of exhaustion and malnourishment. Both men had strong relationships with their younger sister. In the novel it was Gregor's sister that took care of him most of the time, until the end when she just couldn't take it anymore. Kafka was also said to have had a close relationship with his younger sister, Ottla. Neither man was ever married. Both men also felt confinement in their lives. Gregor had to provide for his family and work constantly and Kafka was expected by his father to take over the family business. I believe that Kafka felt he was not appreciated for his individuality, only the financial security he could bring his family. The same was true with Gregor. The family did not seem concerned at all that he had suddenly turned into a bug…just oh great, how are we going to make money now?
During discussions we also talked about the similarities this novel had with others we have read. In all the novels someone has died, and it's never from old age or a happy ending. In every novel the relationship of the character and their mother is estranged or strained, or the mother is deceased. My biggest question with this novel is still, is Gregor really a bug?! Was it actually a physical change or just physiological? Were people just disgusted by his appearance because he was no longer taking care of himself or did he actually have the body of a beetle or some other insect? The only part of the book that points to him having insect like ability is when he hugged the picture on the wall...which he could have just been pressing his body against it. Finally, the end of the novel was so sad to me. The charwoman finds him dead, the family sheds a few tears, the charwoman notifies them that she got ride of the “thing” and the family decides to take the day off and go for a walk! The last line almost seemed like a finally jab to Gregor to me “And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions that at their journey’s end their daughter jumped to her feet and stretched her young body” (page 52). Her young body?! What does that have to do with anything? Gregor’s body wasted away but hey, we’ve got this young one to focus on!
(I included a picture of what I thought Gregor looked like...I never actually pictured him as a bug)
During discussions we also talked about the similarities this novel had with others we have read. In all the novels someone has died, and it's never from old age or a happy ending. In every novel the relationship of the character and their mother is estranged or strained, or the mother is deceased. My biggest question with this novel is still, is Gregor really a bug?! Was it actually a physical change or just physiological? Were people just disgusted by his appearance because he was no longer taking care of himself or did he actually have the body of a beetle or some other insect? The only part of the book that points to him having insect like ability is when he hugged the picture on the wall...which he could have just been pressing his body against it. Finally, the end of the novel was so sad to me. The charwoman finds him dead, the family sheds a few tears, the charwoman notifies them that she got ride of the “thing” and the family decides to take the day off and go for a walk! The last line almost seemed like a finally jab to Gregor to me “And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions that at their journey’s end their daughter jumped to her feet and stretched her young body” (page 52). Her young body?! What does that have to do with anything? Gregor’s body wasted away but hey, we’ve got this young one to focus on!
Kafkas life and the Metamorphosis
In the chat room I learned exactly why Kafka wrote the story "The Metamorphosis". I mean basically everything that he discribed in the book he related to it in his own life. Becomeing the bug for Gregor was exactly like what Kafka went through with his tuberculosis. He was basically confined to his room to be by himself as was Gregor. Kafkas father treated him just like how Gregors father treated Gregor in the story. He did really care about him, he only cared about what he did for the family and as soon as he couldnt provide anymore they shut both of them out. Also you said in lecture that Kafka died in his room and Gregor was the same way. I just found this very interesting how Kafka portrayed his life in a book as ridiculous as this one and it makes complete sense to me know from the chats.
In the chat rooms we talked alot about the characters in general and their function to the story. Most of us agreed that Gregor was a great guy who only cared for his family's well being but in the end when his well being was in jeapordy they kind of cast him out and didnt care for him. Alot of us agreed that the family was cruel for rejoicing after Gregor passed on, i mean it was a giant hastle for them to take care of him, but while Gregor was taking care of his family and he had the burden on his shoulders he would have never rejoiced if one of his family members passed away. This story was great and I thought it was a great story to have this online discussion on. People had soo many perspectives and great points it really opened up my eyes to the story as a whole!
In the chat rooms we talked alot about the characters in general and their function to the story. Most of us agreed that Gregor was a great guy who only cared for his family's well being but in the end when his well being was in jeapordy they kind of cast him out and didnt care for him. Alot of us agreed that the family was cruel for rejoicing after Gregor passed on, i mean it was a giant hastle for them to take care of him, but while Gregor was taking care of his family and he had the burden on his shoulders he would have never rejoiced if one of his family members passed away. This story was great and I thought it was a great story to have this online discussion on. People had soo many perspectives and great points it really opened up my eyes to the story as a whole!
Not Nihilism
I think the supposed Nihilism in this book is the complete opposite of what was trying to be presented by Franz Kafka. I think the real philosophy being presented here is existentialism. Existentialism is the act of being plunged in to the world of absurdity and realizing that life, is in fact, absurd. But there is a point to it. Nihilism is the philosophy that nothing matters and you might even think you are not real. Existentialism is realizing that you are an individual with self-worth, even though you don't know what that worth is. The point is to the travel to get to that self-worth. Gregor tries to make this travel but dies in the process.
I was told the first step to existentialism is to wake up. This is exactly what happens in the very first page of The Metamorphosis. "When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin," is the very first passage of the book. From that passage you can already tell that Gregor has been plunged into the very absurd reality. He asks himself, "What's happened to me?" This is his eyes being opened. Once his eyes have been opened he cannot go back to normalcy. Throughout the first page he is seen as trying to get back to that normalcy, that life he once knew. The life he was comfortable with. But instead he is forced to roll around and try to get up, but cannot. He suddenly feels foreign and very alien to everyone around him. He even feels this way to the point of hiding himself so his sister will not have to see him.
The worth that Gregor is is not to himself, but is to others. His family is happy that he dies because once he had stopped providing money, he had suddenly become worthless. Gregor does not feel worthless though, I believe. He feels that there is something more, he feels that there is worth but he cannot figure it out. And when your family is not helping you at all it is even harder to find that purpose. He dies in the despair on that travel to find his self-worth. The last step to existentialism is self-actualization. That self-actualization is when you not only find your own worth in your life, but you give it back. You aren't worth what you think, you are worth what you give back to the community.
What is the significance of the apple? I believe that the significance is a correlation between realizing and the pain of feeling so alien. As the pain grows and grows, so does the alienated feelings of Gregor..
-William Valeri
I was told the first step to existentialism is to wake up. This is exactly what happens in the very first page of The Metamorphosis. "When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin," is the very first passage of the book. From that passage you can already tell that Gregor has been plunged into the very absurd reality. He asks himself, "What's happened to me?" This is his eyes being opened. Once his eyes have been opened he cannot go back to normalcy. Throughout the first page he is seen as trying to get back to that normalcy, that life he once knew. The life he was comfortable with. But instead he is forced to roll around and try to get up, but cannot. He suddenly feels foreign and very alien to everyone around him. He even feels this way to the point of hiding himself so his sister will not have to see him.
The worth that Gregor is is not to himself, but is to others. His family is happy that he dies because once he had stopped providing money, he had suddenly become worthless. Gregor does not feel worthless though, I believe. He feels that there is something more, he feels that there is worth but he cannot figure it out. And when your family is not helping you at all it is even harder to find that purpose. He dies in the despair on that travel to find his self-worth. The last step to existentialism is self-actualization. That self-actualization is when you not only find your own worth in your life, but you give it back. You aren't worth what you think, you are worth what you give back to the community.
What is the significance of the apple? I believe that the significance is a correlation between realizing and the pain of feeling so alien. As the pain grows and grows, so does the alienated feelings of Gregor..
-William Valeri
Theme of the book..
In this novel Gregor is the main
provider for his family, and it is sad to me that after his
transformation he was pretty much kicked to the curb, and was under
appreciated for everything that he has dope in the past for his
family. They were all too concerned with money and wealth to see the
bigger picture that their loved one needed their help. At the
beginning of the novel Grete was the only one willing to help and try
to understand Gregor, but soon she wasn't even there for him. He was
viewed as a burden even though he required little care and attention.
I think that his family were very ungrateful for what they had been
given by Gregor. I think one main theme in this book was to not take
things for granted and maybe that family should always come first. I
also find it interesting that some of the issues that they had back
then, are a lot of the same ones that families deal with now.
Unfortunately I don' think that will ever change, especially when it
comes to fighting about money and that being the big worry to
families.
Some other questions that I still have, is why did Grete change her mind about taking care Gregor? She seemed like she was the only one that really loved him but suddenly changed her mind... why? Also why do you guys think that the author started the book the way that he did? Right away in the first sentence tell us about his transformation but never tells us why? This really puzzled me while reading.
Metamorph
There was a lot of symbolism going on. For one thing, the actual metamorphosis that transpires is like how his family and the rest of the world view him. He is a worker ant doing his job for the queen (his father). It was also discussed that since the story starts off when Gregor awakens, it is like he is awakening to a higher awareness, or a different way of looking at things. And it’s absurdism to wake up as an insect. The apple in his back represents him being trapped in his room. As his confinement continues, he rots away, like the fruit. The apple can also be tied in in a biblical way. Since Kafka was Jewish, the apple could be from the tree of good and evil. When Gregor is ‘bitten’ by it and his father, he is further rejected and faces a more pronounced ostracization. It could have been commentary on Catholicism as well. The family did the sign of the cross after Gregor dies. Kafka certainly doesn’t paint the family in a kind light, so it could be like he’s making a statement on that since he was Jewish.
There was irony in the fact that Grete was Gregor’s favorite, and his caregiver, yet she was the first one to say he needed to go. The family was more of a group of parasitic insects than Gregor. They were siphoning off of his money and work, and then the situation did a complete 180.
As far as the relation to current times, people are still alienated. Gregor could have been anyone, really. In a world so large, he feels like a miniscule bug. People still wonder what they’re doing and how they fit in. They can be trapped in a room or a job or another unfortunate life situation, and sometimes they can feel as though nothing can be changed. People also sacrifice themselves for their family and loved ones. A parent that works three jobs just to pay for the house and put food on the table is sacrificing their time and physical endurance. They could be working him or her closer to the grave. It’s also like a person dependent (like terminally ill or disabled) on others, not wanting to be a burden anymore, so they think they’re better off dead.
Characters, Lecture, Setting, and Potpourri
In the chat this evening I spoke with my peers about several topics concerning the character or Gregor. We discussed not only his role, which seemed to be the breadwinner in the beginning and then the burden towards the end but also his very nature, what exactly was he?? Bug or man?? Something that perplexed the majority of the class until the end of the chat discussions. I myself was set on the fact that Gregor had in fact transformed. But I must admit that I am now again on the fence of whether or not Gregor's transformation was in fact literal. Next was the discussion of the setting, everything had been so dark and gloomy. But, it seemed to add to the suspense of the novel, I recall an interesting DB post I read in which one of my classmates spoke about how the only true mention of light comes at the very end right before Gregor's death.
After discussing Gregor's character and the setting I couldn't help but jump into a conversation about the parallels between Kafka and his main character. I felt that the similarities between Kafka's illness and Gregor's solitary confinement to his bedroom both fascinating and horrifying. And I must say that I agree with several of my peers when I say that listening to your lecture after having read the book made me realize the novels true significance. I mean the amazing parallel's between Kafka's tuberculosis and Gregor's buggy illness seemed so important, I almost wish there would've been a description of Kafka for the first section of the novel. The most powerful part of this parallel to me is the mention of Gregor's final breath, I think this was so significant to me because in my mind I pictured a man taking his last breath, which in all reality that man could've been Kafka. I honestly feel that had I never heard of Kafka's life the message of the book would have been lost on me. I would've simply thought that the book was about a man turned bug and how his once loving family couldn't handle his transformation.
~Liz Michels
After discussing Gregor's character and the setting I couldn't help but jump into a conversation about the parallels between Kafka and his main character. I felt that the similarities between Kafka's illness and Gregor's solitary confinement to his bedroom both fascinating and horrifying. And I must say that I agree with several of my peers when I say that listening to your lecture after having read the book made me realize the novels true significance. I mean the amazing parallel's between Kafka's tuberculosis and Gregor's buggy illness seemed so important, I almost wish there would've been a description of Kafka for the first section of the novel. The most powerful part of this parallel to me is the mention of Gregor's final breath, I think this was so significant to me because in my mind I pictured a man taking his last breath, which in all reality that man could've been Kafka. I honestly feel that had I never heard of Kafka's life the message of the book would have been lost on me. I would've simply thought that the book was about a man turned bug and how his once loving family couldn't handle his transformation.
~Liz Michels
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Welcome to the English 2073 Blog on Kafka's The Metamorphosis!!
Welcome to the English 2073 blog on Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Here I would like you to post your summaries from your chat discussions on March 22, 2012 and comment on the postings of at least two other students in the class. Each blog posting should be two paragraphs and 300 words minimum (150 per paragraph). Each comment should be 35-50 words minimum.
Have fun!
Brian
Have fun!
Brian
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