THE EVOLUTION OF GREGOR IN THE EYES OF HIS FAMILY ~Creative Project~

As the story of Gregor’s transformation progresses, we see that his identity and the way he is perceived by his family also changes. Right after his transformation, Gregor is still perceived as family - a human in a bug’s body. As time passes, however, his appearance becomes his identity. In the eyes of his family, he is a bug. His actions become more critter-like, and less human. He does not try to communicate with them, nor show that he still has these human thoughts. Of course, we cannot blame Gregor for the outcome. It is the expectations of his family that encouraged him enclose himself in this hole in the first place. Their disgust and horror cause him to avoid contact with them, and in order to lessen the inconvenience he presents to them - therefore becoming less of a human. It is this concern for them that aids him in his downfall.

The point at which he is totally considered a bug - no longer family and no longer human - is in Section 3, where Grete says, “We must try to get rid of it. We’ve tried to look after it and put with it as far as is humanly possible, and I don’t think anybody could reproach us in the slightest.” [Note: This is the Muir translation.] As the readers, privy to Gregor’s more humanlike thoughts and feelings, this is a moment in which we feel for Gregor and for some, condemn Grete. But of course, we must consider this moment from the point of view of Grete and her human family. The beauty of Kafka’s work, or any older classic work that we, as modern readers, reflect upon, is the lack of a stark contrast between black and white, but rather a vast grey area that allows for interpretation. While we may seek to so condemn Grete and her family, criticizing her for her abandonment of her brother, someone who sacrificed his happiness for their financial security (especially given the historical context of World War II and the German’s treatment of the Jewish population) - what would we do in her stead? Idealistically, we would pledge to stay by his side, looking past his vermin exterior. But as humans, ones who often fall folly to selfishness and “human nature”, wouldn’t we typically do the same as Grete? Gregor had become a burden, having zero characteristics with the brother Grete has grew up knowing - therefore no longer viewed as blood. In biology, altruism is seen as a behavior in which an individual reduces its own fitness to help and improve the fitness of another individual. Such a behavior is more likely to happen, however, if the two individuals are closely related, in order to improve the chance of passing on similar genes. Between Grete and Gregor, he has become so different from her and her family, it is easy to see why she could no longer consider him her kin after time - and therefore her altruistic (in the biological sense) behavior of caring for him has decreased as he became more and more secluded and distanced.

Could we, as readers, criticize Grete and her family? Knowing the thoughts of Gregor, we are put in his place and feel for him - especially the disgust of his family. However, the situation is not black and white, reflecting the world we live in today, and the reason why there are so many interpretations of the novel as a whole. While we may feel for Gregor and wish that Grete and her family never turned their back on him, even criticize them, we must understand their reasons for doing so. (Natalia)