Herzog 1

Sarah Herzog
Dr. Williams
HON ENGL 258
9 April 2015
Kafka Take-home Essay
In her essay Transforming Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis, Nina
Pelikan Straus argues that the female characters, particularly Grete,
are central characters to Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis. Traditional
readings of The Metamorphosis include Marxist and Oedipus complex
ideas, with Gregor being made useless for work through his
transformation and the father in the story being portrayed as sexual
and dominant. Nina Straus claims that Grete can be substituted for
Gregor in the story, as she undergoes her own metamorphosis and
becomes dehumanized. I agree with Straus argument that there is
Marxist and Oedipal tones as well as a gender bending occurring in The
Metamorphosis.
Being turned into an enormous bug overnight, Gregor becomes
unable to get up for work. Almost immediately in the story a clerk from
Gregors workplace knocks on the door wondering if Gregor intends to
go to work. Gregor states early that the only reason he has not quit the
traveling job he hates so much is because he must provide for his
parents and sister (Kafka 12). The impersonal economics of Gregors
life display a Marxist idea. Gregor trapped in his job for the economic
needs of his family and the impersonal bourgeoisie manager who
cares little for Gregor other than Gregor not showing up for work.
An overarching theme of the story is the Oedipal complex sexual
relations between the family members. When approaching Gregor the
father is described as standing erect and dressed stiffly prior to
throwing an apple that penetrates Gregors back (Kafka 37-38).
Later, after Gregors death, the father, mother, and Grete come out of
the bedroom as a group, having spent some time alone.
When first reading Straus essay, I failed to see her argument.
Going into my first reading of the essay I already had established,
through class, the evidence supporting the Marxist and Freudian ideas
in Kafkas work. The early portion of Straus essay gave me the
impression that a feminist reading was going to be a stretch, through
her noting that until 1980, gender- based theories and feminist
criticisms were rarely articulated in discussions of Kafka's stories
(Straus 651), as well as her statement of:
Kafka's refusal (or inability) to provide his readers with a clear
message about his work or his attitudes toward women is not
only characteristic but also useful and prophetic. By reserving
judgment on his characters, Kafka puts traditional attitudes
regarding gender on trial and deconstructs the reader's
expectations as well. (Straus 652)

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These statements prepared me for an argument I figured would be a
stretch and counter to what was traditionally interpreted in Kafkas
writing.
After a careful reading of Straus ideas I found myself agreeing
with some of her ideas. I found myself agreeing only after Straus had
described her ideas in relation to the traditional readings however. For
example, Straus states: the relations between those who are
transformed suggest not only oedipal but family conflict. The struggle
is between the sexes, and the primary exchange occurs not between
Gregor and his demoralized sloven of a father but between Gregor and
Grete (Straus 655). Straus combination of Oedipal and sibling
relations help bring her argument that Grete is a central character into
context.
Grete begins in The Metamorphosis hidden behind the wall
crying, when Gregor is having difficulty right after his transformation.
She progresses to being Gregors caretaker, trying to find what foods
he will eat and cleaning his room (Kafka 26). Eventually Gretes care
for her brother diminishes and Grete shows no care whether the food
had perhaps been just merely tastedor left completely untouched
The cleaning of the room was done at breakneck speed (Kafka 41).
Grete also must take up a job in order to help the family replace the
loss of Gregors wage. Eventually Grete assumes Gregors place in the
family. Finally, at the end of the story Kafka releases the reader with
the physical transformation of Grete into a beautiful, well-built girl
(Kafka 52).
This transformation of Grete physically and emotionally is the
basis of Straus argument. Gregor begins by being the wage earner for
the family, in addition to being male. With his transformation, Gregor is
placed into the role of a dependent relying on female help as well as
taking the traditional female role of inactivity and submission. The
brother's and sister's inter- change of male and female roles and
powers, the hourglass-shaped progression of the plot as they switch
positions, suggests the idea that "Metamorphosis" is Kafka's fantasy of
a gender role change (Straus 655).
Gregor and Gretes transformations mirror each other in The
Metamorphosis, Gregors physical transformation on the first page and
Gretes on the last page. In between the siblings change places with
Grete becoming the caretaker and Gregor being the one taken care of.
When first reading Straus argument I was incredulous, failing to see
how a feminist reading would fit. Straus integration of traditional ideas
such as Marxism and Oedipal complex into her feminist reading is what
convinced me of the validity of her argument. Without the traditional
readings the feminist reading would not have as much of a statement,
for Gretes economic value traded with Gregors and both of the
siblings being subjected to the sexual subjugation of the father help to
cement the changing of roles between Grete and Gregor. Only through

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Kafkas language is the combination of ideas allowed to take place as
he allows two or more possibilities to stand side by side without being
able to say himself which he really means (Straus 656).

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Works Cited
Straus, Nina Pelikan. Transforming Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis.
Signs 14.3 (Spring 1989): 651-667.
Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Trans. Stanley Appelbaum. Thrift ed. New
York: Dover Publications, 1996. Print.