We realize that the story is not a dream since we finished the book - Gregor dies as a bug, and doesn't wake up back in his human form. But there are many dream-like qualities in the stories that relate to the story-reality discrepancies. For example, with Gregor's three doors, there are instances when multiple people will be talking to Gregor from outside the room, but all through different doors, which relates to dreams of sound echoing all around you.
When Gregor finally reveals his bug-self to his family for the first time, they all automatically know that the bug is Gregor, not that it has eaten or disposed of Gregor. This is a great example of 'logic' in dreams - it doesn't make sense in the real world, but it somehow does in dreams. Other examples of dream logic include Gregor's single-minded devotion to his family (even after finding out the money he earned was saved instead of used to pay off the debt), the boss coming to Gregor's house to check on him, and that the mother, who was so frail because of asthma that she couldn't make it across the house in one go, only had her asthma portrayed when Gregor came out, right before he died.
Can you all think of any more discrepancies or examples of dream-logic?
On a side note, here is a cartoon of The Metamorphosis crossed with Peanuts:
https://lithub.com/kafka-meets-charlie-brown/
On a side note, here is a cartoon of The Metamorphosis crossed with Peanuts:
https://lithub.com/kafka-meets-charlie-brown/
This may sound a little gruesome but Gregor's death to me is a bit of dream logic. In many dreams we tend to live out the worst case senario as at least in my dreams I get this helpless feeling as I try to accomplish a task that I know I can do but somehow just can't anymore. I think that Gregor's death fits into this dream logic because bad dreams rarely end well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sarah's comment above. When reading the death of Gregor, it really felt like a dream to me. Kafka's writing style throughout the entire novel emits this dream-like quality you talk about. Kafka seems to lightly tread on the narration, reminding me of a bug scuttling around a floor. This creates an oddly dark atmosphere which has me questioning all the oddities of the novel.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're right that a lot of the logic in the novel is very questionable and reminiscent of dreams. The example I still don't understand and think is a great example is there assumption that the giant bug is Gregor. Couldn't Gregor have left already or still be in the room? Given that without this evidence of a bug in his room, the probability that Gregor turn into a beatle is essentially 0, I don't think its a logical first assumption.
ReplyDeleteThis entire book felt a little like a continuous fever-dream - the fact that his family and Gregor himself react in the (somewhat) rational way they do is another case of this dream logic. Everything is a little twisted and jilted and just slightly reminds me of something out of a Tim Burton children's film. The fact that the narration continues after his death makes the novel feel even more so.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for that comic, I really enjoyed reading that. Regarding your post i do agree that "The Metamorphosis"does show many dream-like qualities. One that really comes to mind is when Gregor's thoughts are perfect clarity but when he tries to communicate with others they don't understand him. I think that is something in Dream-logic.
ReplyDeleteYes, absolutely! A lot of the story is still recognizable as real life, but there are small details like the doors that lead into Gregor's room that are just slightly off, and that's what makes it so dream-like. Also, another aspect of dream-logic I noticed was when Gregor first wakes up and is discovering his new form. The unfamiliarity with his own body that he experiences and his inability to fully control the movement of his legs reminds me of the teeth falling out dream, which reflects the fear of losing control of your own body.
ReplyDeleteyep, this story has a really off feel, besides the fact that the main character turned into a bug. For example, I can't think of one house that has that many doors to one room. Everything seems like a nightmare, where your family and boss can't understand anything you are saying. Moreover, Gregor didn't seem to be that bothered by the transformation, which is really weird
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