Transformation In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

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In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the protagonist Gregor wakes up to find himself transformed into a bug. At the start, he is more concerned about how his transformation will affect his ability to carry out his duties at work than the actual physical fact of having turned into a repulsive insect. Gregor’s transformation completely alters his outward appearance, but it leaves his mind unchanged, creating a discord, or lack of harmony, between his mind and body. Although Gregor gradually behaves more and more like an insect, his humanity never entirely disappears, and his voice finally becomes detached from his body. He is unable to satisfy both his body and mind, which become equally incompatible and is faced with internal and external conflicts …show more content…
The wonder of the speaking machine was the “enigma of how something so utterly non-human could produce human effect” (Dolar 9). The machine was designed with a wooden box with bellows, a rubber funnel and a series of valves and ventricles, giving it a mechanical look. However, it could “speak” certain phrases in French, Italian, and Latin, allowing its voice to be perceived as detached from its machine-driven body. The machine is representative of Gregor, but they differ in one aspect. Gregor had the outer body of an insect, but human intentions on the inside, as shown by his clinging to the picture of the woman. Unfortunately, Gregor was never able to make his human thoughts vocal, as his voice turned into an “insistent distressed chirping” (Kafka 5). He could not tell his family how much he cared for them, or his boss how he felt about his job, which slowly causes his dehumanization by his family and peers. If only Gregor could be like the machine completely, and vocalize his thoughts, things may have turned out to be different. Instead, his voice is shown through what his body wants. For example, when Grete gave Gregor milk to drink, he “turned away from the bowl almost with repulsion” as his body rejected the milk (Kafka 21). The readers can see Gregor’s voice through his wants and needs as a bug, but the other characters in the story only are able to interpret Gregor’s intimidating movements towards them, or his surrendering when he moves back into his room. The other characters are unable to hear Gregor’s voice, which causes him problems, as he is not able to get his true feelings out to
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