Kaan Fikret Çağlar
ASIU 102
Mert Reisoğlu
Final Paper
ANALYZING THE THEME OF METAMORPHOSIS
Waking up as vermin and feeling disconnected are not regular starts for the story telling.
Describing a man in a regular family structure from a very unusual perspective has impressed me
as well as the world literature. In this final paper, I will examine Franz Kafka’s metamorphosis in
light of Todorov’s distinction between marvelous and fantastic. As far as I am concerned,
Metamorphosis can be classified as marvelous but with scrutiny we can see fantastic elements. In
this analysis, I specifically examine unusual elements, subjective and objective realities, and the
role of uncertainty in this story to elaborate on the theme of the metamorphosis.
To provide a brief description, we can look at the Todorov’s theory on the distinction
between fantastic and marvelous. In fantastic, unusual events are perceived unnatural so people
in the story react when something strange happens. The characters in the fantastic story cannot
be sure if they are experiencing reality or not. This uncertainty and ambiguity usually scare them
and create a horror atmosphere. For example, Dracula is a proper example of fantastic story
because being a vampire is an unusual element for the characters in the story. Moreover, there is
a great uncertainty how to handle a vampire as well as different perspectives of Dracula and
other characters so these all add up to a fantastic theme. However, in the marvelous, unusual
events are considered normal and people go on their lives in a regular manner. Supernatural
events are embedded in the world in which such events do not surprise characters. For example,
in Harry Potter unexpected and magical behaviors are quite normal for wizards. The world of the
, wizards is regulated according to certain rules and these rules are very usual for the characters.
Accordingly, characters are not surprised or terrified when they encounter with a strange event.
They usually know it is possible in their world. When we consider Metamorphosis, this
distinction is not clear as in the other stories.
In Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa wakes up as vermin and actually this is the most
unexpected event in the story. This unexpected event possibly surprises the reader but Samsa
himself does not seem so. The reader may expect him to be panicked and anxious or scream to
call his family. Rather than giving these regular reactions, Samsa describes his body and his
room. “He lay on his hard, armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little, he could see his
curved brown abdomen, divided by arch-shaped ridges, and domed so high that the bedspread,
on the brink of slip- ping off, could hardly stay put”(1). Through this depiction we learn about
Samsa’s body but he doesn’t specify what kind of animal he transformed into. If he had specified
the bug for the reader, it would be much easier to picture his form. However, he provides some
level of uncertainty and creates some room for imagination as well as mystery. I think this vague
description brings some horror elements into the story. These horror elements fall in the genre of
fantastic rather than marvelous. Yet on the overall picture the story can be classified as
marvelous because the following descriptions in the story have strong connections to the reality.
He does not focus on his transformation and its effects but he still provides everyday detail of his
life to the point of his everyday concerns. “The next train went at seven; to catch that, he would
have to hurry at a frantic speed, and his collection of samples wasn't packed yet, and he certainly
didn't feel particularly fresh and lively himself ”(30). Through these lines, we can clearly
understand the center of the story is not his transformation but his everyday concerns. Samsa
works as a clerk and has many responsibilities to his family. Even in the middle of this
ASIU 102
Mert Reisoğlu
Final Paper
ANALYZING THE THEME OF METAMORPHOSIS
Waking up as vermin and feeling disconnected are not regular starts for the story telling.
Describing a man in a regular family structure from a very unusual perspective has impressed me
as well as the world literature. In this final paper, I will examine Franz Kafka’s metamorphosis in
light of Todorov’s distinction between marvelous and fantastic. As far as I am concerned,
Metamorphosis can be classified as marvelous but with scrutiny we can see fantastic elements. In
this analysis, I specifically examine unusual elements, subjective and objective realities, and the
role of uncertainty in this story to elaborate on the theme of the metamorphosis.
To provide a brief description, we can look at the Todorov’s theory on the distinction
between fantastic and marvelous. In fantastic, unusual events are perceived unnatural so people
in the story react when something strange happens. The characters in the fantastic story cannot
be sure if they are experiencing reality or not. This uncertainty and ambiguity usually scare them
and create a horror atmosphere. For example, Dracula is a proper example of fantastic story
because being a vampire is an unusual element for the characters in the story. Moreover, there is
a great uncertainty how to handle a vampire as well as different perspectives of Dracula and
other characters so these all add up to a fantastic theme. However, in the marvelous, unusual
events are considered normal and people go on their lives in a regular manner. Supernatural
events are embedded in the world in which such events do not surprise characters. For example,
in Harry Potter unexpected and magical behaviors are quite normal for wizards. The world of the
, wizards is regulated according to certain rules and these rules are very usual for the characters.
Accordingly, characters are not surprised or terrified when they encounter with a strange event.
They usually know it is possible in their world. When we consider Metamorphosis, this
distinction is not clear as in the other stories.
In Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa wakes up as vermin and actually this is the most
unexpected event in the story. This unexpected event possibly surprises the reader but Samsa
himself does not seem so. The reader may expect him to be panicked and anxious or scream to
call his family. Rather than giving these regular reactions, Samsa describes his body and his
room. “He lay on his hard, armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little, he could see his
curved brown abdomen, divided by arch-shaped ridges, and domed so high that the bedspread,
on the brink of slip- ping off, could hardly stay put”(1). Through this depiction we learn about
Samsa’s body but he doesn’t specify what kind of animal he transformed into. If he had specified
the bug for the reader, it would be much easier to picture his form. However, he provides some
level of uncertainty and creates some room for imagination as well as mystery. I think this vague
description brings some horror elements into the story. These horror elements fall in the genre of
fantastic rather than marvelous. Yet on the overall picture the story can be classified as
marvelous because the following descriptions in the story have strong connections to the reality.
He does not focus on his transformation and its effects but he still provides everyday detail of his
life to the point of his everyday concerns. “The next train went at seven; to catch that, he would
have to hurry at a frantic speed, and his collection of samples wasn't packed yet, and he certainly
didn't feel particularly fresh and lively himself ”(30). Through these lines, we can clearly
understand the center of the story is not his transformation but his everyday concerns. Samsa
works as a clerk and has many responsibilities to his family. Even in the middle of this
