Structure of The Metamorphosis - Essay Example

?Structure of “The Metamorphosis” INTRODUCTION The most seminal work of fiction of the post-modern era is the novella by Franz Kafka, “The Metamorphosis”. The plot of the story revolves round the life of a salesman named Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning and finds him transformed into a bug. Like most of the novels of Kafka, the novel, “The Metamorphosis” is also eclipsed by the clouds of ambiguity and neither Kafka explains the reason for the transformation nor did the novella throws light explicitly for the reason of such transformation. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is a celebrated work across the world and since its publication in the year 1915; the novella has been able to attract the attention of the scholars and students equally for the quality of multivalency of the novella. “The Metamorphosis” ponders on the themes like religion, philosophy, psychoanalysis, political and social critic, along with a clear doctrine of Marxism inherent within the text. Even, the feminist interpretation of the text was also not spared. This kind of huge space or development of wide receptacle upon which a series of interpretation can be framed is developed by the author himself as he has not suggested any explicit explanation for the action taking place within the plot (Bloom 32). It is quite noteworthy to mention at this juncture of the essay that like the baffling theme the plot structure of the novella is also a point of serious contention and subject of analysis. Critics and scholars have always pondered upon the choice of Kafka’s tripartite structure for “The Metamorphosis” and the researching of scholars on this area has also generated a volley of thesis which is valuable and contextual to the theme and motif of the text. THESIS STATEMENT This essay intends to focus on the tripartite structure of the novella, “The Metamorphosis” and attempts to seek the significance of the plot structure and epilogue of the novella. STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF THE METAMORPHOSIS At the outset of the text of “The Metamorphosis” the final predicament gets its attainment when the novel opens with the Gregor Samsa, “finding himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin”. At this stage of the novel, as viewed by Kevin W. Sweeney, the transformation at this stage is incomplete psychologically but this enables Kafka to conduct an exploration philosophical in characteristic that indicates of self, personhood and identity. And, in his insightful essay, “Competing Theories of Identity in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis”, Sweeney mentions perfectly the theory put forwarded by Mikhail Bakhtin, “Given the nature of the inquiry, it is significant that instead of providing a monologic commentary with a consistent theoretical framework, Kafka offers a dialogical, polyphonic work, and example of what Mikhail Bhaktin has called a “heteroglossia” of opposed voices” (Bloom 63). Furthermore, perhaps on the matrix of this thought process, the multiple layered structure of the novel gets its expression. On the premise of the beginning incident, the novella is divided into three segments. The unique feature of these segments is the co-relation and individuality maintained at the same pace. Each section of the novella, chapter one, two and three contains an individual rising and a mini-climax. Apparently, it might seem three neat episodes with a proper initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement and conclusion. However, then these three individual chapters or sections appearing within the comprehensive plot of the text co-relate with each other in the episodic form which develops and completes the coherent structure. Nevertheless, each chapter has its individuality and pertinent theme; in section one, the character development of Gregor is attained. In the section two, Gregor’s adjustment and adaptability of life as a bug gets its fulfillment and in the final chapter or section of the novel is an attempt towards the self-revelation or self-reflection of his actions as Gregor finds that he has been able to acquire some level of acceptance from his family as the door of his room is often left open. The tripartite structure of the novel ponders upon Gregor attempting to leave his bedroom and coming back to it again. There is a very rhythmic appearance of action which is repetitive but in its own way it suggests an advanced and paradoxical philosophy juxtaposed to each other. However, the maintenance of the nature of the self and personal identity remains intact throughout the novel. The motif for this kind of a repetitive, rhythmic and tripartite plot structure enables to develop individual motif. Like in the first section, the dualist conception of the person and self-identity is delineated. Gregor is presented as a conscious disembodiment from his self, the original body which is locked inside an alien organism. In the second section of the text, behaviourist and materialist views are explored which challenge the theory presented in the earlier section of the text. And, in the final section of the text, the counter theories pertaining to social constructionist theory of the self and personal identity is explicated. This huge paradigm shift of the context and theme which is presented individually within the three different sections of the novel is only possible for its tripartite structure (Kafka 1-150). As regards to the epilogue of the novel, “The Metamorphosis” it is constituted by last four pages of the novel, completely decked up with bafflement and thoughts beyond comprehension at a glance. But, a close reading and introspection through these pages of the novel shall culminate into an inference that the family of Samsa has gradually changed due to the death of the protagonist. These gradual transformation or metamorphosis of all the characters initiating from the transformation of Gregor Samsa gets fulfillment of the motif and structure of the plot and theme when the metamorphosis or the transformation of all the characters in the novel receives its predicament or attainment of completion of the cycle. This transformation of the characters of the novel gets manifested in the epilogue of the novel through a dual scene; the first on the kitchen table and the second scene takes place on the trolley. The epilogue of the novel, presents a complete transformation of all the characters in the novel agitated by the death of its protagonist. The dependence on Gregor is completely effaced due to his death and a physical and psychological changes presented by Grete is provoked and manifested in the final scene of the novel which constitutes its epilogue. Therefore, thematically and eventually as well the fulfillment of the motif of the novel and the predicament met by all the members in the family is manifested trough the epilogue of “The Metamorphosis”. CONCLUSION The novel, “The Metamorphosis” might hinge towards a dystopia of modern period, but structurally the novella is poetic in its form and rhythmic in its execution which despite its redundancy and repetitive structure retains its individuality and uniqueness of theme and motif recurrent individually in each segment of the novel. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Metamorphosis. New York City: Infobase Publishing, 2007. Print. Bloom, Harold. The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka, New Edition. New York City: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print. Kafka, Franz. Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" and Other Writings: Franz Kafka. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002. Print. Read More