You maybe familiar with Franz Kafka's book The Metamorphosis. For those who are not, it's a short story which centers on the protagonist Gregor Samsa and his bizarre transformation into a bug. This transformation as you'd expect had its effect on the Samsa family.
As a lover and a degree holder in literature, one of our favorite things to do when we read a literary piece, is look out for the symbolisms.
Having been told the premise of the book, one would merely think that The Metamorphosis is just about Gregor's transformation. In actual sense, Kafka was more concerned about the change in family and human interaction. Before Gregor turns into a bug, he was the sole provider of his family. All responsibility rested on his shoulder. And this role came with the love and respect of the members of the family - father, mother and sister. All other members of the family did nothing to support him.
This situation, however changed after he turns into a bug. Unable to work or provide, Gregor watched as each member of the family took up a job in order to feed and settle their bills. The reader comes to wonder; why none of them bothered to help him prior. Especially as he worked a job he did not really like, just to pay off his parents' debts.
In addition to this, Gregor watched as the love he once received gradually turn to disdain and disgust. Being labelled a burden by his beloved sister, wasn't the worst. She suggested that they get rid of 'it'. Gregor eventually dies in his room from starvation and neglect. And his death was some sort of relief for his family.
This book, exposes an aspect of human interaction - love under the condition of being able to provide. Often, we slave away to provide for the ones we love. We may think that we are the only hope they have, and therefore do everything in our power to meet their needs.
But humans are not indispensable. If anything happens to us, the ones we think are hopeless without us, move on. They find a means to survive, humans always do. Also, a provider today can become a burden tomorrow, when he isn't able to provide anymore. Life is unpredictable, nothing is assured. No condition is permanent. Can we say certainly, that the people we help today would in turn help us tomorrow?
Kafka uses Gregor's transformation as a symbolism to pass across a deep and thought provoking message. Unlike the main character, we should seek to do what makes us happy, while we aim to do good for others. Sometimes, it's okay to put yourself first. A little occasional selfishness could be necessary. Because if anything happens to you, life goes on. Nobody can be blamed for it, that is just the way it is.
METAMORPHOSIS
By
Jefferson Nnadiekwe