Kafka's Metamorphosis the Significance of Term Paper

Gregor is unable to eat fresh food, now, although his delight in eating is just as strong, if not stronger than before.

Still, food, and the consumption of food, now socially isolates Gregor from his family, unlike the emotional connections that food once provided. His sister even discards the fresh foods that Gregor rejected, and he must hide after he eats, so as not to frighten his food provider. Gregor's sensitivity to his sister is underlined in this gesture towards her temperament. Rather than try to connect with his sister, he must isolate himself from her -- although this was true of Gregor before, as to 'earn' her love, he had to earn money to works, so that she could remain idle.

Still, because she provides his food, Gregor's sister sustains the most meaningful connection with her brother that could be described as human: "Gregor sometimes caught a comment which was intended to be friendly or could be interpreted as such. 'Well, today it tasted good to him,' she said, if Gregor had really cleaned up what he had to eat; whereas, in the reverse situation, which gradually repeated itself more and more frequently, she used to say sadly, 'Now everything has stopped again.'" but eventually, because they cannot engage in human speech, Gregor and his sister lose even this sense of familiarity provided by food.

Towards the end of the story, as Gregor listens to the family during mealtimes, he learns that the other Samsas' appetites have become curtailed, after his transformation. Also, as the servant girl has departed in fear, his sister and mother must cook. As Gregor's relationship with his family is withdrawn, he can only overhear mealtime conversation like an outside, and emotional as well as physical disturbance affects the appetite. But in the end, the family can recover their appetites after their disturbing son's death, unlike Gregor, whose rejection and transformation become permanent, physically, socially, and emotionally.

Works Cited

Kafka, Franz. "The Metamorphosis." 1919. Translated by Ian Johnston. Released to the Public domain in e-text form in October 2003. [23 Oct 2006]

http://www.mala.bc.ca/~Johnstoi/stories/kafka-E.htm.....