Humor in Kafka and Marquez

Humor in Kafka and Marquez

Life is better when we look at things from a humorous point-of-view. We are bombarded with a myriad of serious issues that we must confront every day but this does not mean we should be so serious that we fail to see the lighter side of things. Two authors that look at serious issues in a nonsensical way are Franz Kafka and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. "The Metamorphosis," and "The Incredible and Sad Tale of Erendira" look at such issues as death and prostitution with a little bit of comedy as to lift the heaviness of the subject a bit. By looking at these serious issues with a lighter attitude, readers are move likely to remember the author's message. Both authors treat serious issues in a nonsensical way in order to create an awareness without being offensive. With these tales, readers walk away with the notion that mankind, in all his wisdom and advancement, is still as unpredictable as ever.

In "The Metamorphosis," Kafka examines the human condition in modern times with the improbability of a man becoming a bug. Gregor's life is sad in that he is living a life he does not especially like and he is not inspired to do anything about changing that life. His family's debt keeps him at a job he hates and his life is nothing but waking up and going to work every day. Gregor is not a bad person at all but Kafka is pointing out how he falls into the humdrum existence of the modern world. He is working to pay the bills and he is not actually living at all. His transformation is a metaphor for Gregor's life and it forces him to stop and examine what is going on around him. As a result of his condition, readers also see the decline of the family. Gregor's family cared very little for him as a man and they could not care very much for him at all once he becomes a grotesque bug. His outward condition is the result of his inner, deteriorating condition. His body symbolizes the decaying foundation of the family and the fact that Kafka places the bug in a modern setting reveals his attempt to bring humor to a painful topic. The loss of Gregor moves through some fascinating phases through the story. The Samsas are initially shocked but eventually find themselves relieved when he finally dies and puts them out of their misery.

"The Incredible and Sad Tale of Erendira" comes across to readers as something of an unrealistic tale with a fairy tale mood. Erendira is like a Cinderella-like character, with her grandmother serving as a cruel stepmother. Ulises is the prince that comes to save the day. In the beginning of the story, Erendira must "bathe and overdress her grandmother, scrub the floors, cook lunch, and polish the crystal ware" (Marquez) every day. Erendira endures a difficult life for a fourteen-year-old girl, considering she was "too meek for her age" (Marquez). The life her grandmother makes her live is inhumane as she attempts to make Erendira pay for her mistake with prostitution. Erendira's prince does not arrive quickly and when he does, she leaves him. Here is where we see the story move from a fairy tale story to one that seeks to explain human behavior. Erendira takes care of herself with the money she feels she deserves. She decides to do so without a man and this makes the story modern while at the same time, very timeless, in that people are as unpredictable as they are predictable. Erendira is an independent woman in need to a way to survive in the world. We also see humor when the grandmother appears to be immune from death. She survives a poison-laced cake and an explosion and when she finally dies, he blood is "oily, shiny and green, just like mint honey" (Marquez). She bleeds like a monster from the cartoons and while she was indeed a real monster, we do not forget her negative nature. Her death is no doubt welcome by the readers but how it comes about is surprising and humorous. With young girl and her Cinderella-like existence, her grandmothers ogre-like existence and the unexpected surprise ending, we see how Marquez uses the nonsensical aspects of these characters to bring wit to the tale.