The Significance of the setting of Gregor’s room
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is one the most famous novellas of the 20th century. Filled with analogies, symbolism and allusions The Metamorphosis has been interpreted in numerous ways. It is still unclear which of the interpretation is the correct one; however, as the title implies, the main theme of the story is about change and transformation. Nevertheless, Gregor and his family are not the only ones transforming – Gregor’s room changes as well.
The transformation of Gregor’s room represent his physical and mental deterioration because the room is symbolic to his internal state of being.
At the beginning of the novella, the narrator describes Gregor’s room as a “regular human bedroom, only rather small”. Then agaín, the narrator tells the reader about some other assets of his room: a window, a chair, a sofa, a carpet, a chest with drawers and a desk. The fact that Gregor’s room is being described in such detailed manner is not accidental and told with purpose to explain Gregor’s life before the Metamorphosis. His room is very simple, compact, colorless and blend, and reflects the life of a person with a dull job and everyday monotonous routine.
After Gregor realizes that he overslept and is late for work, he decides to leave his room and head out to work. However, his new physical form gives him trouble getting out of bed and unlocking the door. While Gregor is attempting to unlock the door and free himself the narrator mentions “Gregor hoped for great and remarkable results from both the doctor and the locksmith, without really distínguishing precisely between them”. Gregor belíeved that a locksmith could free him from his room and a doctor could free him from his transformation. Unfortunately, even after Gregor manages to unlock the door and walk out of the room he does not manage to free himself from the room or his body. A while later, his family violently forces him back in...