Symbolism in the Metamorphosis: Relationship between Grete and Gregor

Introduction

In one way or another, most people have experienced how love for something or someone can fade. Love is impermanent, especially when challenged with difficult circumstances. In the novel, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the author uses Grete’s characterization and the violin’s symbolism to depict Grete’s diminishing relationship with her brother, Gregor. The fading relationship, in effect, supports the overarching theme of change.

Body

Grete's Characterization: The Initial Positive Relationship with Gregor

Franz Kafka begins by using Grete’s character to illustrate the positive relationship existent between the siblings.

Kafka effectively develops Grete’s characterization through the description of her actions. Kafka shows how she initially expresses sympathy and intense care for Gregor following his transformation because she brings him food and cleans his room. Kafka continues to incorporate details that reveal Grete’s compassion towards her brother because Grete gives a detailed report about how Gregor’s room looked, what he had eaten, how he behaved, and whether improvement was noticeable. Grete’s dedication to her brother and her sympathy for his condition was especially apparent through her care for him, the detailed reports, and the observations she would make.

It is notable how the foods Grete brings to Gregor change as a result of the amount of attention Grete pays to what he likes and does not like. In the same way, Gregor was always supportive of Grete; this was specifically evident through Gregor’s continuous support for Grete’s education in music at the conservatory, “…and it was his secret plan to send her off to study at the conservatory next year.” (Kafka 22). The amount of care they initially had for each other was mutual. Kafka uses the characterization of Grete and Gregor as a tool to delineate the positive relationship that existed between the two siblings.

The Decline of the Siblings' Relationship: The Erosion of Love and Compassion

Kafka uses Grete’s characterization and the violin’s symbolism of the violin to portray the beginning of the decline of the siblings’ relationship. The violin can be viewed symbolically in terms of the siblings’ eroding relationship. Initially, the violin is seen as a symbol of Grete and Gregor’s loving, strong bond. as siblings. Gregor was always supportive of Grete’s continued musical education and worked to support his sister’s dream. His selflessness shone through and depicted the compassionate, loving bond the two shared. However, the violin is also a tool Kafka uses to portray Grete’s emotions. The specific instance when Grete is playing her violin for the lodgers perfectly depicts the beginning of their relationship’s evolution, as seen through analysis of Grete’s emotions. That loving relationship the violin symbolized was playing through the instrument note by note, with every movement of the bow, into the audience’s ears. However, this all came to an end when her older brother, in the form of a bug, appeared before the lodger’s eyes. At that moment, Grete '… still held the violin and bowed in her carelessly dangling hands...' (Kafka 40). Grete’s body language allowed me to understand her emotions with much more depth. The body language expressed at this moment effectively shows her change of feelings toward her brother. Her arms dropping and the violin bow hanging limply shows disappointment in what her brother had done to her performance-. Her violin bow hanging limply can be interpreted as her dreams slipping away from her. This was all because of the state her brother was in. Grete’s emotions are shown; what was once support and love had transformed into resentment and disappointment, which is all portrayed symbolically through Grete’s violin. It was her brother’s new form that prevented her from succeeding, that which changed her emotions toward him. Through this symbol- the violin- Grete’s emotional shifts are apparent. Grete, who could have initially been characterized as someone who was passionate in terms of supporting her brother, could now be characterized as someone who would not give her brother any more attention because of the resentment that arose from that experience. Grete and Gregor's relationship does not remain as positive as it initially seemed.

As their relationship is challenged by Gregor’s new form, their feelings toward each other experience a metamorphosis. This eroding relationship contributes to the theme of change because it highlights how elements of life can evolve. Similar to Gregor’s change in appearance, the relationships in Gregor’s life also experience changes. Towards the end of the novel, Kafka’s depiction of Grete’s character is expressed as unsympathetic towards her brother’s condition, which is in great contrast to the initial portrayal of her character. Her views of her brother transform because of her feelings that Gregor is a burden to her and her family. Kafka provides insight into Grete’s character through her statements within the novel. She is seen losing her patience and love for her brother, as seen through a message to her parents, 'Dear parents; things cannot go on like this. Even if you two perhaps do not realize it, I most certainly do. I am unwilling to utter my brother's name before this creature, and therefore will say only: we have to try to get rid of it...' (Kafka 41) She continues to express her emotions towards the situation by adding that if Gregor had been gone, '… We still would have been lacking a brother, but we would have been able to go on living and honoring his memory' (Kafka 42). Grete's attitude expresses her dissatisfaction with her situation. By saying that if he had been gone, they 'would have been able to go on living and honoring his memory' (Kafka 42), Grete is revealing how fed up she was with having to deal with Gregor's condition and her approval of getting rid of him.

The Impact of Gregor’s Transformation on Grete’s Feelings and Attitudes

The fact she feels they could go on with their lives and honor his memory shows that she is not willing to continue with the life they were living with his condition. She loses sympathy for what he is going through because of how much it is affecting her own life. At this point, her character has clearly changed in regard to her brother because Grete, who used to take any measure possible in order to help her brother, is now speaking out against having him involved in their lives.

Additionally, her love for Gregor diminishes as she realizes that this creature is no longer Gregor. This is revealed through her choice of words, such as 'before this creature' (41). After Gregor's transformation and the exhaustion Grete experiences by taking care of him, Grete realizes that this creature is no longer her brother. There is nothing about him that still has any sense of humanity, which makes it very hard to have any kind of attachment left to him. The fact Grete chooses to refer to him using the word “it” accentuates her non-human perception of Gregor. Referring to her brother as “it” further indicates Grete’s evolution of character because it shows that someone who used to express the utmost respect for her brother was now completely lacking respect for him as she removes any association of him as her brother by referring to him as “it.”

The Theme of Change: The Evolution of Sibling Bonds

Considering the context of this statement in this novel, it is seen that Grete is taking on a new job to support their familial income along with taking care of Gregor, which becomes overwhelming. Gregor notices that she is not acting the same way toward him anymore. She doesn't check on how well he is eating or make sure his room stays clean as she had done at the beginning of the novel when the siblings shared a loving relationship. Kafka emphasizes the evolution of Grete’s character by highlighting her lack of attention toward her brother at this point in the story.

This change that is apparent in Grete’s characterization further supports the change in their relationship. It is also important to take into consideration that Grete stated this after the incident where Gregor enters the room during Grete's performance for the lodgers. The fact that she is making these types of comments following this incident further proves that Gregor's new form is interfering with her life and causing deeper resentment towards him, changing her feelings which are seen through her words and actions, and therefore her character.

Conclusion

Overall, a relationship that was initially strong was weakened by change. This is evident through Grete's change in attitude and character as the novel progresses. After the incident, when Grete was playing the violin for the lodgers, Grete’s positive emotions towards her brother began to diminish. Towards the end of the novel, not only did Grete’s emotions towards the situation change, but she also began to act and speak out regarding the fact that she did not want Gregor to be part of her life anymore. Kafka’s choices in terms of symbolism and developing Grete’s characterization allow readers to understand how the siblings’ loving bond fades away. The degradation of the siblings’ relationship contributes to the construction of a theme in the novel- change. The evolution of the siblings' relationship supports this theme of change by proving that love does not last forever and can be affected by changes in circumstances.

References

1. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Translated by Susan Bernofsky, W. W. Norton & Company, 2014.

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