Analysis on the Metamorphosis by Applying Physical or Mental Illness to Gregor - Essay Example

Analysis on the Metamorphosis by applying physical or mental illness to Gregor The illness suffered by Gregor in The Metamorphosis, can be analyzed by applying Avoidant Personality Disorder. Avoidant Personality Disorder refers to a mental disorder that entails the affected individual feeling a high level of inadequacy, and thus is constantly concerned about what the others think about him/her (Lampe and Sunderland, 117). In this respect, a person suffering from this order will mostly avoid any chance of interpersonal contact with others. This avoidance is informed by the fear held by the individual that the others may disapprove, criticize or reject him/her (Johansen, et al., 515). Gregor was initially concerned about the nature of his job, observing that it was always demanding, due to the requirements to travel every day, face irregular train connections and eat bad food. However, of great concern is the fact that Gregor had “worries about…temporary and constantly changing human relationships which never come from the heart” (Kafka, 4). This is a simple indication that Gregor was not actually fascinated by the nature of the interactions that he had in the course of his job. It is this lack of appreciation of the social interactions that is characteristic of the attempts to avoid social interactions, which is a symptom of Avoidant Personality Disorder. The other aspect of Gregor that is characteristic of the disorder is the fact that he did not want to be associated with the others unless he was certain that he would be accepted. This nature of caution is attributable to the Avoidant Personality Disorder, which is symptomatic of a person avoiding any form of communication and interaction with the rest of the people, unless he/she is assured that the other people will like him or her (Johansen, et al., 518). In this respect, when Gregor’s family and the office manager came to check on Gregor after he had delayed to come out of his bedroom, he did not instantly wish to communicate to any of them, unless he was sure they would not reject him because of his new monstrous insect status. Thus, when his sister Grete whispered at his door that the office manager was there, the response was; “‘I know,’ said Gregor to himself. But he did not dare make his voice loud enough so that his sister could hear” (Kafka, 14). This behavior is characteristic of avoiding interaction with others until at least some assurance would be given that he would be accepted in his new status. Showing restraint to intimately close relationship is yet another symptom of the Avoidant Personality Disorder (Lampe and Sunderland, 122). This is what Gregor did most of the time. Despite the fact that he was mostly used to interacting with his sister Grete all the time, now he did not want much of an interaction with her. Thus, when Grete was coming to the room to bring Gregor some food, Gregor tried as much as possible to be inconspicuous, such that his sister had to look around for her and “she noticed him under the couch” (Kafka, 38). The fact that Gregor had now started making himself not immediately available for interaction with his sister is an indication that he was unwilling to engage in any intimately close interaction. Gregor reminds me of how broken and/or sick people are treated in society. There is the certainly of a few people who are willing to take care of people who are sick. Most of the time, the sick/broken people are neglected, and often times only one or maybe a few members of the family or persons assigned to take care of the sick/broken person will attend to them with good care. Thus, after Gregor changed his status, he started to be treated differently. Most of the people who were previously close to him avoided him. However, his sister continued to take care of him, by offering him food twice a day. She also took it upon herself to ensure that Gregor was living in a decent condition. Therefore, “she kept watch to see that the cleaning of Gregor’s room remained reserved for her” (Kafka, 72). In addition, the cleaning woman who was later employed also did take care of Gregor, by ensuring that he kept his room clean initially, though that would later change. Gregor’s mother would also chip in and do the work, when it was apparent that Grete was getting tired of this duty, and thus had started neglecting Gregor’s room, making it remain dirty and inhabitable. Nevertheless, Gregor’s father is one of the close family members who did not show any sympathy towards him. Thus, after he realized that Gregor had turned into a monstrous insect, “his father clenched his fist with a hostile expression, as if he wished to push Gregor back into his room” (Kafka, 23). This kind of hostile and abusive treatment is what most of the sick/broken people receive from the people around them. Sick and broken people are also neglected by those who are supposed to be taking care of them, not because they do not understand their needs, but because they are reluctant and also unwilling to take the trouble upon themselves to care for them. Gregor’s case was not different, such that though his family would not have wanted him dead at some point, but “who had time to worry any longer about Gregor more than was absolutely necessary?” (Kafka, 69). Therefore, they would let him go a hungry, and only when his sister was around did Gregor get food twice a day. Even for those who are committed to serve the sick/broken people, a time comes when they also get tired, and their initial loving and caring attitude changes into one that is careless and indifferent to the needs of the sick. For example in Gregor’s case, her sister Grete was a very caring person since the beginning of the tragedy in Gregor’s life, but she eventually changed and thus no longer cared too much about him or his needs. Thus, “the sister now kicked some food very quickly into his room… and in the evening, quite indifferent; she whisked it out with one sweep of her broom” (Kafka, 72). The three roomers who had been rented the space in Gregor’s family home so that the family could raise some more money also indicated the same attitude of indifference to the sick/broken. When they realized that they had been living in the same house with Gregor, “they demanded explanations from his father…tugged agitatedly at their beards” (Kafka, 82). The lodgers did not only cause commotion to the family, but they also threatened that they would sue the family for renting them a house that is in such a deplorable condition. Further, they declared that they had given notice to Gregor’s father that they would vacate the house, and they would not pay the rent due for the days they had lived in the house (Kafka, 83). Such indifference towards the condition of Gregor is a demonstration of how the society can treat the sick with little consideration, through perceiving the sick as being a source of discomfort. The office manager did not respond any better to Gregor’s illness. Having learnt that something was wrong with him, the only thing he did was to run away from him without even saying a word. Despite the fact that Gregor tried to plead with the manager for consideration, the manager simply “made a leap down over a few stairs and disappeared” (29). This is also a practical reflection of how the colleagues do give up on one of their own, when he/she is sick or broken. Thus, eventually, everybody including the family gave up completely on Gregor. Grete got tired of serving Gregor, and also got tired of having him around, such that she initiated the talk to have him gotten rid off. After the lodgers that rented part of the house decided to live, Grete convened a meeting with her mother and father and declared “we must try to get rid of it” (Kafka, 84). The family had gotten so much tired of taking care of Gregor that they no longer cared for his sickly condition that would soon lead to his death. In fact, when the family held the discussion to get rid of him, he was just listening, and when he intended to go back to his room, it became so much difficult in his sickly condition. The worst thing is that no one would even bother to assist him; “It was all left to him on his own” (Kafka, 87). In fact, the death of Gregor was a celebration to the family, since instead of caring to show grief, the family was indeed happy that Gregor had passed on. The announcement of the death was made by the cleaning woman who had also grown insensitive and cold towards Gregor. On learning that indeed Gregor was dead; the father’s response was that of happiness and relief when he said “‘now we can give thanks to God’ (Kafka, 91). Thus, with the death of Gregor, the family was happy and ready to move on with life, by talking a trolley journey to seek for a different residence. Works Cited Johansen, Merete Selsbakk, et al. "Emotional Dysfunction In Avoidant Compared To Borderline Personality Disorder: A Study Of Affect Consciousness." Scandinavian Journal Of Psychology 54.6 (2013): 515-521. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Planet PDF, 1999. Print. Available at: http://history-world.org/The_Metamorphosis_T.pdf Lampe, Lisa, and Matthew Sunderland. "Social Phobia And Avoidant Personality Disorder: Similar But Different?." Journal Of Personality Disorders 29.1 (2015): 115-130. Read More