Symbols In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

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Franz Kafka was born Jewish, but in his adult life he did not practice a religion. In the novel The Metamorphosis, however, there were multiple Biblical symbols that contributed to the overall theme of the novel. One of the themes of the novel is change, once Greg changes into a bug, those around him begin to change as well. Those changes are portrayed in the novel through references to Jesus Christ and the Adam and Eve story. The dependency on Gregor to bring an income for the family was brought to a halt when he woke up as a “monstrous vermin” (1). As a result, Gregor’s father had to become the head of the family. With the power he now held, he became a symbol of the powerful g-d figure. Gregor, therefore, became a symbol of weakness. Before Gregor’s change, he was the head of the family and his father did not hold much power in the house. In the second chapter, Gregor’s father began to throw apples at Gregor until he lost consciousness. The apple that “forced its way into Gregor’s back” (37) was …show more content…
For example, Gregor was “nailed to the spot” (37) by the apples, this is a Biblical imagery of Christ being nailed to the cross. Another example is when Gregor was found dead in his room, the cleaning lady poked him with a long broom handle which is an allusion to when Jesus Christ was poked in the side with a spear. The symbolic Christ references in the novel contribute to the theme of Gregor’s change and ultimate sacrifice for his family. The Metamorphosis is not a novel about religion, but there are certain references to Biblical and Christ-like symbols that are essential to the overall theme and understanding of the novel. The change that Gregor underwent allowed his father to gain power to judge Gregor and punish him for becoming useless. Also, Gregor becomes a symbol of Jesus Christ because he chooses to sacrifice himself for the good of his family, similar to Jesus’s sacrifice for the
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