A Biographical Analysis of Kafka's The Metamorphosis Matt Bayley

Franz Kafkaâs The Metamorphosis contains direct biographical references to Kafka and his familyâs lives. Gregorâs fatherâs dishonest actions stem from Kafkaâs hatred against own his father for his relentless disapproval of Kafkaâs writing. Kafka depicts Gregor as a lonely, insignificant failure, because that is how Kafka sees himself. Franzâs inability to settle down with a woman is silently noted in Gregor Samsaâs character, as is Kafkaâs low self esteem. While not easily noticed, Kafkaâs relationship with his youngest sister is mirrored in The Metamorphosis between Gregor and Grete as well. They get along very well for the majority of the story, but eventually Gregor feels betrayed. Kafka used the characters in The Metamorphosis to form a literary model of his own twisted relationships with his family members and himself.

Franz Kafkaâs dark literary style is unmistakably original, and has earned him his reputation as one of the greatest 20th century writers. His odd works were fueled by staggering amounts of family stress and self hate. Much of this stress came from his father, Hermann Kafka, who disapproved of Franzâs writing, lifestyle, and physique. Kafkaâs father overshadowed him so much, that Franz developed a stutter...