My thoughts on Kafka's "Metamorphosis"

I wasn't going to post this as it didn't align with the typical contents of my blog, but here are my thoughts on Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis" after reading commentaries on the book online and noticing my interpretation was rather different than the typical websites (LitCharts, SparkNotes, etc) (Also my copy has a bug on it - someone please let me know if they have a cover without a bug and where I can get it).

Part 1: Emotional Labor

My first thought after reading this book was that it reminded me about emotional labour. Emotional labor is defined as "managing emotions during interactions (e.g., organizational outsiders) to achieve professional goals and conform to work role requirements." Despite Gregor technically being a family member, his physical self is no longer a part of the family. The family craves the man who he used to be, not the man he is. With that established, let's explore how emotional labor is presented in this book.

Toward his mother, Gregor is forced to consider her fragile heart and her unrequited maternal love with his every action. Although he clearly loves his mother he cannot show himself in front of her or even see her, despite his strong urge to, because he knows his mother will be repulsed. On one hand, he dosen’t want his mother to get a heart attack, on the other he wants his mother to have a good memory of him as a person and vice versa.

Toward his father, Gregor is forced to think about his "physical body" - or how he acts, moves, and appears - around him. Because of Gregor's fear of his father, he is not allowed to go outside his room. Gregor also has to be shrewd and constantly act inferior around his father in order for him to pardon Gregor and “spare” him and his fragile life.

Gregor's sister is a complicated one. Gregor still loves his sister and him (and me too) are proud of how far his sister has “come of age” as a result of Gregor’s unfortunate transformation. However, what Gregor’s sister has “emotionally laboured” for him is not reciprocated. For example, despite his sisters best efforts to try her best to make his food he still rarely eats the food which makes his sister sad. He has also made his sister give up a of her hobbies in order to support him. But again, Gregor still conforms to his obligations to satisfy, or at least ease the role of his sister. For example, pulling the bedsheet over himself for 4 hours to make sure his family dosen't see him.

It is clear that his sister still loves Gregor very much all up until the end. Superficially, Grete must manage her own feelings of disgust and fear while attempting to maintain a semblance of normalcy and support for her brother. But she also must manage and limit her own passions and dreams in life in order to support her family.

But at the end of the day, Kafka leaves us with a question of “who does more for who.” It is hard to weigh that question in the face of a series of transactional familial relationships. Formerly, Gregor acted as the breadwinner for the house and put the entire family on his back. In the absence of Gregor’s human form, the family steps up and puts Gregor on their backs. It can be argued that Gregor’s ultimate contribution to the family would have been sacrificing his own life, but that discounts for Gregor’s self respect, and the familial duty Gregor was expecting due to his handicap.

The main thematic concern I see in this book, is the extent altruistic love can account for responsibility and sacrifice.