Food For Thought, By Franz Kafka - 854 Words

Food For Thought, Looking at The Metamorphosis In the short story, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the main character Gregor Samsa wakes up to see that he has become a giant bug, and he and his family have to adjust to the changes that this has brought about. Kafka weaves several images and symbols through out the story, so many that writing a paper on all of them would be incredibly long. However, the thing I will concentrate on is the use and symbols of food that Kafka has placed in the tale. Just what do these symbols mean? Why are they there and what do they show about Gregor and his family and their relationship? I will prove in my paper that a piece of bread and bowl of milk can be much more than just a meal. The food in this story shows how life has changed for Gregor, and also that in some of the scenes, that it even has references to passages from the Bible itself. The first instance that food plays a part in the story is when Gregor, after having been changed into his new form, finds a bowl of sweet milk with a piece of bread floating in it(Kafka 467). But Gregor is disgusted by the offered meal, and now finds that he can no longer enjoy one of his favorite beverages. This first sign of food in the story is a symbol of how things can change for a person in their life. How things that were once important for someone no longer have the same meaning anymore and lose their value. It is also a symbol of motherly love. His sister has now taken on the role ofShow MoreRelatedFranz Kafka s A Hunger Artist And The Metamorphosis1155 Words   |  5 Pageswhole life and leaving this world as a nobody. The writings of Franz Kafka not only spoke of the absurdity of life, but also about who he was. They told about what type of human being he was, and how he was feeling. 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