The Gretamorphosis by Franz Kafka, a novella characterized by slipstream fiction and absurdist narrative, originally published in 1915 under the title Der Verwandlung, in the country of Austria-Hungary which is now known as the Czech Republic after its dissolution in 1918.

this is posted on monday so kinda spoiler alert

In Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Grete is the only other character mentioned by name (besides Anna the servant, who’s mentioned fleetingly); other unnamed characters include the father, mother, chief clerk guy, and the maid. This uniqueness reveals the significance of her character throughout the story, and specifically the growth, or evolution of her personality and role within the family.

While Gregor Samsa is undoubtedly the protagonist of Kafka’s story, the majority of character development is concentrated with Grete, and the focus of the narration entirely shifts during the third part. In the beginning, before Gregor opens the door, Grete knocks and asks: “Gregor? Aren’t you well? Is there anything you want?” and later whispers: “Do open up, Gregor, please do.” Grete clearly has a deferential and even subservient attitude towards Gregor based on this dialogue. Later in the story, she is called to run to the doctor, implying that the mother often has Grete do these menial chores which indicates her role in the family. Grete even breaks down sobbing when Gregor does not open the door at first. This shows that in the beginning of the story, Grete’s character is certainly fragile, and while I don’t want to characterize her as weak, it seems that Grete is described as a vulnerable, faint personality.

Once Gregor’s evolution into an insect happens, Grete has to take the responsibility of taking care of him, which is when her development starts. At first, she keeps the same timid attitude as before (you can’t really blame her, she’s dealing with a giant insect), but she ends up realizing that she has power over Gregor; this is exemplified in how Grete hands him the dirty dumpster scraps for meals, and also how Grete asserts her own opinion over her parents: “But unfortunately his sister thought otherwise; she had become accustomed, and not without some justification, to adopt with her parents the role of a special expert whenever Gregor’s affairs were being discussed.” Grete’s transformation is perhaps most succinctly explicated in this narrative description: “During the first two weeks his parents could not bring themselves to come in to him, and he often heard them expressing their full appreciation of his sister's present labours, whereas previously they had frequently become annoyed with her because she seemed to them a somewhat useless girl.” Grete’s change is almost drastic, in the way that Gregor’s transformation is sudden and dramatic.

We can view this progression relative to Gregor’s role in the family. He sees himself as the cornerstone or the centerpiece, directly responsible for maintaining his family’s survival. He’s pretty much correct: he’s the only one working to get rid of the family debt and putting food on the table. However, once Gregor becomes increasingly incapacitated, the family is left with no one to take care of them. This is where Grete evolves into a more assertive character: while she does not have a job, she takes on several responsibilities and voices her own opinions. In one scene, she is heard by Gregor as saying: “We must try to get rid of [Gregor]”. After he interrupts her violin playing and causes the lodgers to leave, she says: “If it were Gregor, he would have realized long since that it isn’t possible for human beings to live together with a creature like that, and he would have gone away of his own accord.” Her suddenly bold statements illustrate the pinnacle of her development: she puts the interest of her family ahead of her incapacitated brother, and becomes her own mature and responsible character.

Grete’s own metamorphosis makes Kafka’s story more interesting because it makes the reader more invested in the family, and it illustrates the law of conservation of character: as Gregor’s role becomes diminished, Grete’s responsibility within the family grows, and eventually she may be the cornerstone that Gregor once was. This leaves room for a possible sequel to The Metamorphosis; what happens to the family after the situation with Gregor, and how will Grete adapt?

Finally, what's your overall feeling after reading the story: do you feel sad for Gregor, or happy for the family?