The Metamorphosis 13-39

Part 1 of The Metamorphosis
Gregor Samsa wakes up in the morning to find out that he has been transformed into a giant cockroach, the beginning of the book talks about his life particularly, he is a sales man and his job involves him traveling and this result in lack of lasting friendship. He does not like his job and only does it because his parent own debt to his boss. This story is mostly about how Gregor tries to fit into society. First he thought that he was dreaming but then found it a struggle to get out of bed. Gregor first thought upon waking up as a creature are not related to his physical form, but the state of affair in his life. This quote talks about how much he despises his work. “Oh God he thought, what a strenuous occupation I’ve chosen” (Kafka 14). His family tries to get him out of bird because they depend on the money that he makes from his work. Gregor is still trying to adjust to the fact that he does not know if he would be accepted into the society again. Later on, an attorney comes to the house to get Gregor out of his room, but when he talks to them, they don’t understand his language. So they decided to break down the door so that they (family) would figure out while Gregor would not go to work as usual.
While his family tries to open the door, Gregor finally gives in and reaches for the door, turns the lock with his mouth, he slowly pulls open the door. Seeing that Gregor is now a giant insect, the terrified office manager backs away, the mother passes out, and the father cries. Gregor delivers a long speech asking the office manager to put in a good word for him at work, since traveling salesmen often become the subjects of negative gossip, but the office manager continues to back out of the apartment. Gregor unsuccessfully tries to catch him as he flees and discovers how easily he can crawl on his new legs. The father then picks up a newspaper and the office manager’s cane and drives Gregor back into his bedroom. Gregor injures himself when he becomes stuck in the doorway, but the father shoves him through and slams the door.
His office manager concludes that Gregor has been lazy at work and that he might have stolen some money. Gregor is unable to talk to human. The relationship with his families is seen as a rocky relationship, they plead with the attorney so that Gregor can keep his job.
Half of Part 2
Gregor Samsa wakes up and discovered that someone already brought his favorite drink, Milk to his room, but to his dismay, it tasted disgusting. Later on his sister, Grete brought rotten food to his room to see if he will eat it and he did. As a Vermin, he prefers rotten food to regular food. His sister develops a pattern of bringing him food when his parents are sleeping. He hears his family speaking about how they need to find employment since Gregor can’t work anymore. Gregor feels embarrassed when he hears them discuss this topic, as the father has become out of shape and clumsy and the mother has asthma, so neither seems very capable of working.

Quote
“One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.” (Kafka 13)

Reaction
This quote is the beginning of the book and it is important because it is said in the tone of a third person but also because it introduces the subject matter of The Metamorphosis and indicates how that subject matter will be treated throughout the story. The opening line which is narrated in the third person reflects Gregor’s own attitude toward his change. Gregor never attempts to determine why or how he transformed into a bug. Instead, he appears to accept the change as an unfortunate incident, like an accident or illness, and doesn’t get particularly upset about it. In fact, after his transformation he continues to think about relatively normal subjects, like his family’s financial situation and his own physical comfort. Consequently, Gregor himself embodies this absurdist point of view exemplified in the opening line. He is the victim of an evidently purposeless and random metamorphosis, which he treats as though it were not completely unusual; suggesting he at least somewhat expects the world he lives in to be an irrational and chaotic place.
By turning Gregor into a vermin, Kafka evokes pathos on his audience. The readers feel sorry for Gregor despise his disgusting nature.