GreteSamsaasaConstructedBeing

Submittedby:
HannahA.Mercado
IVNarra

SubmittedtotheEnglishandLiteratureDepartmentinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsin
EnglishIVandLiteratureIVfortheSchoolYear20132014

February17,2014
Introduction

WithreferencetoSimonedeBeauvoirsdefinition,thispaperattemptstodefineGrete
Samsa,thesisterofGregor,asaconstructedbeing.Constructedbeingsaremorespecificallythe
individuals who are conforming to social constructs made and practiced by society and are
thereforenotindividualsofthemselves(Floures,2012).The social construct that is trying to be
analyzed within the character is that of gender or specifically the construction of a female.
ThecharacterofGreteisseeninthenovelMetamorphosisthatwaswrittenbyFranz
Kafkaduringtheyear1915.Hewasinspiredbyhisexperienceswithinhisownfamilyespecially
inrelationtohisestrangedfeelingstowardshisdistantfather.Thiscouldbeseeninparallelwith
thecharacterofGregorwithhisrelationtohisfather.ThebookfocusesonGregorSamsas
experiencesashisfamilystruggleswithhissuddentransformationintoahorriblevermin.
Feminismstartedduringthe1800swhenitwasbroughtontoattentiontheoppression
experiencedbythemoreunfortunategender.Womenarecagedbytheimagesofahousehold
managerandaremostofthetimesassociatedwiththedutiesofhousekeepingsuchasfood
preparation,childrearing,andnurturing(Kagan,1987).Duetothisconfiningmythofthefemale
gender,womenarelimitedintheirpathstosuccess,happiness,andcontent.Thefemaleareseen
inreferencetomenandnottothemselvesasindividuals(DeBeauvoir,1949).
OneofthemostsignificantproponentsofFeminismisSimonedeBeauvoir.Herwritings
onthesubjectarestillreferenceduntilnow.HerbookTheSecondSexisdevotedtoherstrong
viewsandanalysisofwhatawomanis.Thefamousphrasethatcriticsgainedfromherwritings
istheconstructedbeingwhichisimpliednumerouslyinherstatementsonfeminismasshe
pointedouttheroles,characteristics,andopinions thosemakeanddefinewhatawomanis
accordingtothesocietyandwhatawomantrulyis.
ThedivisionoftheanalysisonGretescharacterwillbesegmentedaccordingtoher
roles.TherolesthatwouldbedefinedinaccordanceSimonesdefinitionareherrolesasasister,
asadaughter,andasawoman.Gretesactionswillbetakenfromthenarrationanddialogue
writtenin thenovel itself andpatternedinto comparisonwiththe definitiontakenfromthe
proponentsbookinordertoapplyfeminismintothecharacterofGreteSamsa.

IsGreteConstructed?
Constructedbeingsaredefinedbywhataretheidealsorviewsthataretypicaltosociety
orthenorms.Constructedisdefinesasinorderormadewithorderandconstruction.Being
meaningasanexistentindividual.Puttogether,themeaningofaconstructedbeingwouldbean
existent individual made with order and construction. The constructed being that will be
repeatedlycomparedtothecharacterofGreteistheonethatisputtoorderaccordingtothe
socialconstructofthefemalegender.
GreteSamsaiscapturedasthecaringsisteranddaughteroftheSamsafamily.Sheplays
alargeroleinthestorysplotdevelopmentuptotheending.Sheisdefinedasclever,helpful,
selfless, and musically inclined. Grete lives quietly and is treated as useless in terms of
supportingthefamilyfinancially.FranzKafkasinspirationofhercharactercamefromhisown
sisterwhowassupportiveofhimandhiswritingcareer.
ThefirstandmostobviousrolethatGreteplaysisherroleasadaughter.Itisalways
practicedthatinfamilies,thesonistheonefavoredandgroomedtoworkandsucceedtoprovide
financialsupportmeanwhilethedaughteristrainedtobeagoodwifeforaman.Itcanbesaid
thatthefatedestinedforthedaughterisinferiorcomparedtothatoftheson.Somewouldlabelit
asneglect,confinement,constriction,orplacingintoaroleofinferiority.Withthesuddenlossof
stablefinancialsupport,Gretegoeswiththeefforttohelparoundthehousesuchascookingand
generalkeepinginsidethehouseeventhoughnooneiseatingasmuch.Hermothersagemakes
herlessabletomanagethehouseandGretetakestheopportunitytotakecareoftheresidence.
Thedaughtershouldtakeontherolesofthemotherandshouldbeveryconsiderateofthemental
conditionofeachmemberofthefamily(DeBeauvoir,1949).
ItcouldbeinferredfromthenovelthatGregorfindscomfortinGrete.Sheistheonehe
turnstotoalleviatehimselfemotionallymeanwhileGretereliesonGregorsmaturity.However,
thetransformationofGregorintoahorribleverminincitedasuddenoverturninrolesasif
Greteisnowtheonemoreresponsible,superior,andoldersibling.Andashissister,sheplays
the role of the second mother. Since their mother is constantly frightened with Gregors
appearance,Gretetakesontheresponsibilityoftakingcareandfeedinghim.Atfirst,shetakes
intogreatconsiderationGregorsconditioneverytimesheentershisroomtofeedhim;takesin

everysingledetailthatcouldshedsomelightonwhatwouldbestsuitherbrothersunfortunate
circumstance.
ThelastrolethatGreteplaysisherroleasawoman.Inthebourgeoissociety,theroleof
awomanistorepresentwithherbeauty,intelligence,charm,andelegancetheoutwardsignsofa
mansfortune,andifthemanwerepoor,hetakesgreatprideinhiswomansmoralqualitiesand
housekeepingtalents. Thestoryhadaneventwherethefamilyresolvedtorenttheirhouseto
threetenantsinordertoattainsomemoney.Thesethreetenantsinquiredthefatheriftheycan
hearGreteplaytheviolininthekitchen.Withoutconsiderationifshewouldagree,thefather
immediatelywentintoactionwiththeopportunitytoimpress.Anotheroccasionthatportrayeda
likesituationwaswhenGregorsbossvisitedthehouse.Whilehisbosswasbangingonhis
bedroomdoor,Gregorwishedthathissisterwastodistracthisbosswithherwitandimpliedthat
shecouldbeasexualdistractionfortheboss.ThiseventisinaccordancetoSimonesstatement
thatwomenaredepictedaspliableobjectsintheultimatefantasiesofmeninordertoincrease
theirprideandtheirnarcissistictendencies(DeBeauvoir,1949).
WithGretedefinedasaconstructedbeing,manyrelatedquestionscouldbeanswered
throughthisanalysis.Particularly,whetherFranzKafkaisafeministoramisogynist.Withhis
insistentdisplayofGreteandMrs.Samsaconformingtofemalesocialconstructs,FranzKafka
couldbelabeledasanunconsciousmisogynist.ThoughKafkaneveradmittedthathewasa
misogynist, his works are contrary to what he doesnt say. Kafka largely emphasized the
commonproblemofmenbymakingGregorslifeallthemoremiserableandunconsciously
becameapartoftheproblemofwomenduetohisweakportrayaloffemalecharacters.
AnotheranalysisthatcouldbefoundedfromthisinformationiswhetherGreteSamsais
astrongwoman.InthetermsofSimonedeBeauvoir,Greteislabeledasweakandcagedwithin
herrolesandisthereforenotafullscalebeing.Insociety,shecouldbeviewedasamodest
womanthatfollowswhatshouldbedoneandisobedient.Howeverthesocietywouldmostlikely
overlookthatbecausesheunknowinglybrokealargemoralcodebybeingtheonetoincite
murderuponherbrotherandthussocietywouldcallheraweakwomaninspiteratherthanin
fact.DeBeauvoircallsGreteaweakwomanbecauseinherroles,sheonlydoesthesethings
becauseitisexpectedofher.Eventhoughtheproductofherconformingtothefemalesocial
constructsisgood,hermotivesbehindconformingisweakthusmakesheraweakwoman.
3

TheConclusion
With the comparison of Gretes character to the provided definitions of Simone de
Beauvoir,itcouldbeconcludedthatGreteisaconstructedbeingbytheparallelrelationoftheir
characteristics.Hercharacterandbehaviorisinconformationwiththesocialconstructionofa
femaleasasister,asadaughter,andasawoman.NotonlyissheconformingtoSimones
definition,sheisalsoconformingtothepresentviewsofwomenbysociety.Theportrayalof
GreteasaconstructedbeingmakesFranzKafkaanunconsciousmisogynist.Thefactthatthe
views seenin thebookand theworldare still similar makes the Metamorphosis consist of
immortalizedcharactersthatrepresentsocietyasitisnow.Thecriticssaythatthenovelpresents
thecommonproblemofmenbuttheyneglecttomentionthatitalsopresentstheproblemof
women.

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