The Metamorphosis

Novel | Franz Kafka
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How Does Gregor Entertain Himself?

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How does Gregor entertain himself? [NU: 2018]

In Franz Kafka’s (1883–1924) “The Metamorphosis” (1915), Gregor Samsa lives inside his room after his change into a vermin. He cannot go outside. He cannot work. To pass the time, he finds small ways of entertainment. These acts show his lonely but human heart.

Enjoying Food Brought by Grete: At first, Gregor enjoys the food his sister Grete brings him. She tests his taste. Kafka says, 

“She brought him a whole selection of things, all spread out on an old newspaper.”

He enjoys rotten vegetables, bones with sauce, and cheese more than fresh food. He hides under the couch and eats quietly. This eating becomes a kin
d of entertainment for him. It connects him to his sister, even when his mother and father stay away.

Crawling on Walls and Ceiling: Gregor slowly learns to enjoy movement in his room. He climbs the walls and even the ceiling. Kafka says,

“He was especially fond of hanging from the ceiling.”

He feels free in this strange way. His sister Grete sees this and removes furniture to give him space. But when his mother enters and sees him on the wall, she faints. Even with this fear, Gregor finds crawling as his personal entertainment. It is his only joy inside the Samsa house.

Listening to Grete’s Music: Gregor’s greatest entertainment comes from listening to Grete’s violin. He forgets his insect body while hearing her play. He wants to support her dream of music. This shows his human soul. The sound of the violin is his highest joy, even when his father and mother reject him.

Gregor Samsa entertains himself in small ways. He enjoys food from Grete, he crawls on walls and ceilings in his room, and he listens to his sister’s violin. These entertainments show his loneliness, his human feelings, and his deep love for Grete.

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Franz Kafka
Literary Writer
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from The Metamorphosis