Saturday, October 4, 2014

In "The Metamorphosis," do you think that Gregor's death can be seen as a sacrifice in any sense?

Gregor's death can absolutely be read as a sacrificial act
by Gregor himself.  He has been slowly declining over several weeks, but when he hears
his own beloved sister say that Gregor should just die and that he was a burden to the
family, he lets himself die so as to relieve the family of the burden of caring for him
and dealing with all the hardship he thinks he brought to them.  The fact that the maid
and not a family member disposes of the dead body plays into this attitude they all have
toward Gregor by the end of the story.


We learn throughout
the story that everything Gregor did in his life was in support of his family and that
he worked harder and longer than even would have needed to if his father had been more
forthright about the financial status of the family. But even upon realizing this,
Gregor is forgiving and deferential to his father's decisions.  Gregor sacrifices his
youth and his happiness for the family.  Once he is a bug he sacrifices his comfort and
hides under the bed so as to not repulse his sister.  He sacrifices his want of human
contact by staying in his room.  His death is clearly the final sacrifice he can make
for his family and his death was imminent anyway.

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