Discuss Symbolism in the Metamorphosis - Essay Example

The story utilizes various elements of symbolism that play chief role in the conveyance of the intended messages or themes within the narrative. The story commences with Gregor Samsa journeying as a salesperson but wakes up in a transformed form from human to a dung beetle (Kafka 1). This occurrence makes Gregor worried regarding missing the train and consequently getting late for work. He grieves over the boredom that his work offers him since he was employed, in a bid, to pay off an unpaid sum that he owed his parents (Kafka 15).

His mother calls for him implying that he has to get out of his bed. This worries him since he is unfamiliar with being a bug. This makes him to struggles to get off his bed. Afterwards, the chief clerk emerges from the exterior of his locked door inquiring about the missing of the train for his worker. Gregor deceives the chief clerk with being ill although he assures him to go to work at a later hour. The mother gets worried about the son being ill and requests Grete to get the doctor to attend to Gregor.

Gregor handles unbolt the door, and the chief clerk is surprised by the appearance that Gregor has assumed. The chief clerk together with Gregor mother are frightened by the fact that Gregor is an enormous insect but still tries to insist on dressing up for work. His father comes and drives Gregor back, and as time whizzes, all the family members get familiar to the new form, which Gregor acquires even if Grete is the only person brave enough to enter into the room. Gregor gets out, and his mother is distresses while the father makes Gregor go back by flinging apples at him.

Consequently, Gregor is injured and unable to move making him suffer a convalescence that lasts almost a month. This makes Gregor’s mother and Grete take up various roles that are sewing and salesgirl respectively. Progressively, Gregor’s family abandon him at his state and after some time hire charwoman who takes care of all duties that belonged to Gregor. Grete plays the violin making Gregor to crawl into the house without creating attention. Conversely, one of the lodgers sees Gregor making him make threats concerning making a leave.

Therefore, Grete resolves on removing the bug out of the house since it no longer runs in her mind that the bug is her brother. Later that morning, the Charwoman finds Gregor dead in his room. The lodgers demand for breakfast but Gregor’s mother drives them off her place. The charwoman informs the family about the demise of their son and explains that he has disposed the body (Kafka 65). Finally, the parents appear hopeful for a prospect and show little concern about their son. The thing that concerns them is the exuberance and beauty of their daughter.

In accordance to the narrative, the pictorial representation of a woman in Furs that is pointed out at the commencement of the narrative functions as a symbol for the previous form that Gregor possessed. The picture of the woman is never made vivid through the narration though Gregor admires it. Alternatively, it could be an epithet of Gregor’s yearnings. Seemingly, the gorgeous woman appears sexually appealing while the furs she bears gestures affluence for Gregor. The content of the pictorial representation indicates that Gregor and the woman had a strong attachment although, at that moment, it meant nothing.

He treasures the picture, as it is only thing that reminds