Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Specifically

¶ … Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Specifically it will discuss the reality- or realities- that Kafka reveals in his story. The reality of this story is not that Gregor has been transformed into a giant, disgusting bug, it is that his dysfunctional family turns on him and cannot love him as he is; in fact, they simply use him as a provider, without caring for him at all.

This is really a story about family and family dysfunction, and the reality is that Gregor's life is not ruined when he wakes up transformed into a giant bug that cannot communicate, it was ruined before. His parents have become used to his providing for them, and they have become lazy. Kafka writes, "That was something his parents did not understand very well; over the years, they had become convinced that this job would provide for Gregor for his entire life, and besides, they had so much to worry about at present that they had lost sight of any thought for the future" (Kafka). The reality is that circumstances can change in a second, and they have not planned for that or planned for their own future, they have relied on Gregor, and now, Gregor is disabled and they have to think for themselves. Only his sister is kind to him, and feeds him, while his parents worry about finances and survival, never even checking on their son's health. Kafka writes, "Gregor's father and mother certainly did not want him to starve either, but perhaps it would have been more than they could stand to have any more experience of his feeding than being told about it" (Kafka). The reality is, they are frightened of their son, and cannot bring themselves to accept what he has become, perhaps out of their own guilt for how they have treated him in the past. They take him for granted, and that is a sad reality.