After finishing The Metamorphosis, there are obviously going to be lots of lingering questions. The one that interests me the most, though, is how Gregor was brought up, and what spawned his incredible devotion to his family. As we are told at the beginning of this tragic (can I call it that?) story, Gregor has been operating as the sole breadwinner of the family, helping pay off their debt and also support their lifestyle (with all-morning breakfast and Anna the maid). Most people would probably grow resentful and want to escape from such a suffocating way of life. Gregor does entertain those thoughts, yes, but it seems as though his conscience and guilt always win, and he continues to suffer through work. In fact, as we discussed in class, Gregor actually seems proud of how he's able to do so much for his family.
Another
thing we discussed in class was the idea of sinister undertones, and
how the Samsa parents could be seen as quasi-parasitic. The Metamorphosis
not only covers Gregor's slow deterioration, but also Greta's
coming-of-age. At the end of the novel, the Samsa parents seem to be
thinking about Greta's marriage, now that she has become a lovely young
woman. From our perspective, that seems sorta off-putting--their son
just died that day (though, it was also suggested that maybe Gregor was
"dead" to his family once he lost his economic usefulness) and their
minds are already focused on their daughter, thinking about marrying her
off (probably to some rich guy)? This leads me to believe that perhaps
that Gregor had been brought up in a similar fashion. That is, Gregor is
so concerned about his family (and later, not wanting to be a burden)
because trying to do the best for them (i.e. working and earning money)
is the only way he knows how to get attention.
Another
(harsher) way of putting this: Gregor has been brainwashed by his
parents into being so obedient (and feeling guilty and shameful when
he's not able to do what he's supposed to--e.g. go to work when he's
been transformed into this terrible vermin), thanks to the fact that
they only give him attention and validate his efforts when he does what
they want. This is pretty consistent with the Samsa parents' treatment of Grete through the novel. Initially, we are told that Grete's lifestyle (prior to Gregor's transformation) consists of dressing up, sleeping in late, doing some chores around the house, and playing the violin. The Samsa parents do not seem to care about what she does--they don't even seem to care that she's taking care of this monstrous bug who may or may not be aggressive. It's only when she's deemed "marriageable" by them does she receive their attention.
