Examples Of Dehumanization In The Metamorphosis By Kafka
Moore 1
Hanna Moore
Morehead
World Literature
4/2/14
Dehumanization and Alienation The beginning of dehumanization and alienation is the condition where we live in a situation where our natural inclinations have no use. It is our natural inclinations that place us in the world, give us meaning, and allows us to be useful, but we have no sense of placement in the world when our natural inclinations are useless. As a result, we become like “a fish out of water” and detached from life.
Dehumanization in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is clearly demonstrated throughout the stages of Gregor’s existence, even before he was labeled “vermin.” Early in The Metamorphosis, we learn that Gregor dearly wishes to quit his job and be free of his family obligations. …show more content…
Indeed, much of early twentieth-century literature takes as its basic premise that man is alienated from his fellow humans and forced to work in dehumanizing jobs. At a young age, Gregor finds that he is responsible for the support of his family and cannot see a way out of his predicament. He is forced to forgo a loving relationship wherein he could find intimacy with another human and perhaps father children to alleviate his lonely life. Night after night he travels from one lonely hotel room to another selling textiles. When he is at home, he locks himself into his bedroom, a habit he says he developed while traveling but readers can see this as his need to alienate himself even more from his oppressive ever-needy family. His room has three doors, with a family member outside each urging him to get up and go to work so they can continue to live a lavish lifestyle. …show more content…
The inhumane trials the characters in Night, as well as the other victims of the Holocaust, are perfect examples of being treated and viewed as less than human. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor was quite literally transformed into a parasite. Night was quite real and alive since the reader knows the events have happened and are true. The Metamorphosis is more abstract and metaphorical. Night explains dehumanization on a larger scale as genocide, while Metamorphosis focuses on the alienation of an individual. Both stories showed alienation and dehumanization on different levels and in different settings. The message, however, is clear in both books: alienation and dehumanization are very serious acts and can distort a person’s physical and mental well being to the point of suffering and even
Hanna Moore
Morehead
World Literature
4/2/14
Dehumanization and Alienation The beginning of dehumanization and alienation is the condition where we live in a situation where our natural inclinations have no use. It is our natural inclinations that place us in the world, give us meaning, and allows us to be useful, but we have no sense of placement in the world when our natural inclinations are useless. As a result, we become like “a fish out of water” and detached from life.
Dehumanization in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is clearly demonstrated throughout the stages of Gregor’s existence, even before he was labeled “vermin.” Early in The Metamorphosis, we learn that Gregor dearly wishes to quit his job and be free of his family obligations. …show more content…
Indeed, much of early twentieth-century literature takes as its basic premise that man is alienated from his fellow humans and forced to work in dehumanizing jobs. At a young age, Gregor finds that he is responsible for the support of his family and cannot see a way out of his predicament. He is forced to forgo a loving relationship wherein he could find intimacy with another human and perhaps father children to alleviate his lonely life. Night after night he travels from one lonely hotel room to another selling textiles. When he is at home, he locks himself into his bedroom, a habit he says he developed while traveling but readers can see this as his need to alienate himself even more from his oppressive ever-needy family. His room has three doors, with a family member outside each urging him to get up and go to work so they can continue to live a lavish lifestyle. …show more content…
The inhumane trials the characters in Night, as well as the other victims of the Holocaust, are perfect examples of being treated and viewed as less than human. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor was quite literally transformed into a parasite. Night was quite real and alive since the reader knows the events have happened and are true. The Metamorphosis is more abstract and metaphorical. Night explains dehumanization on a larger scale as genocide, while Metamorphosis focuses on the alienation of an individual. Both stories showed alienation and dehumanization on different levels and in different settings. The message, however, is clear in both books: alienation and dehumanization are very serious acts and can distort a person’s physical and mental well being to the point of suffering and even