What Family Means To Gregor

In Kafka's Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor, turns into a bug one day. He instantly realizes that he turned into bug but Gregor worries more about missing a train. "'Good God!' he thought. It was half past six, and the hands were going quietly on. It was even past the half hour, already nearly quarter to'" (Kafka 1). Gregor doesn't seem to care what he looks like. I believe it's either Gregor is so focused on other issues (like missing the train) that he can't care about his look or simply he think his look doesn't matter. If I turn into a bug, the first thing I would worry is what if my family doesn't recognize me. Gregor seem like he's believing in their family to notice him whatever look he have. The quote also explains Gregor is tied to his work.

 Another quote describes Gregor's boss, "The boss would certainly come with the doctor from the health insurance company and would reproach his parents for their lazy son and cut short all objections with the insurance doctor's comments; for him everyone was completely healthy but really lazy about work" (Kafka 2). Gregor's boss is very mean and selfish. Gregor obviously doesn't like his job, however he thinks he have to work for the company. It's because Gregor has to pay back his parent's debt. Gregor most worries about the boss telling his parent that he is lazy. He wants to please and not disappoint his family.

Gregor is a selfless and kind man who is not confident of himself. His room has no signs of friends or a lover. I believe for Gregor, family is the only thing he got. Family isn't like friends or lover that you have to make and can break up. From the moment one's born, he or she is part of the family. Since Gregor has no self confidence, he finds the meaning of his life from his family. By paying his parent's debt, Gregor feels prideful of himself. He also loves his family and wants to prove himself. But Gregor's parents are arrogant, selfish, and mean people. They let their son work without his own life and enjoys luxury life. Gregor probably knows how their parents are, but he constantly asks for love and finds the meaning of his existence from his family.

(an image of Gregor: left to right

1.2.3 Gregor's childhood with a frame of his mother and him on the background

-> 4.5 Adult Gregor crying)