While the majority of short novels develop their respective titles and themes based on the protagonist, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is one of few exceptions. On the opening pages of the fantasy fiction novel, the reader is introduced to the protagonist, Gregor, who has fascinatingly turned into a beetle seemingly overnight. While this is an example of a literal definition of the word, metamorphosis, it is not the only one in the novel. Gregor is famous for his literal metamorphosis in the novel, however, his sister, Grete undergoes an even greater metamorphosis. Her metamorphosis becomes more obvious and more sinister as the novel progresses, illustrated by her change in attitude towards Gregor. 

Although Gregor’s transformation is the best known, it is not the most significant metamorphosis in the novel. Most notably the changes he experiences remain one dimension as they are solely physical. In fact, Kafka introduces the reader to Gregor’s physical transformation on the opening pages of the novel without any mention that the way he thinks has changed, “When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling”(1). As the passage directly states on the first page of the novel, Gregor Samsa has transformed into a ‘monstrous vermin’ and with further descriptions of his new body, it can be inferred that Gregor has turned into a beetle, but with no change to the way he thinks. Make no mistake, many scholars have argued that Gregor’s physical transformation is the most important metamorphosis in the novel. For example, a journal article published by The University of Chicago claims that “Kafka’s plot is driven by Gregor’s transformation”(Straus, 652). While the statement itself is not incorrect, it undeniably ignores the importance Gregor’s family members have on the progression and downfall of the plot, most notably his sister Grete. 

             As the novel progresses, changes in Grete’s behavior towards Gregor show her character’s dynamicity while also highlighting Gregor’s stagnant character arc in the process. Initially, in response to Gregor’s transformation, she appears to be the most caring figure to him in the family. She does not hesitate to bring food to Gregor and clean up after him when other members of the family face significant withdrawal at the simple sight of Gregor. After realizing that Gregor did not eat the milk and bread she had brought him, out of the kindness of her heart, she decided “to find out his likes and dislikes, she brought him a wide assortment of things, all spread out on an old newspaper; old, half-rotten vegetables; bones leftover from the evening meal, cakes with congealed white sauce; some raisins and almonds…(23). However, as time flew by, so did the family’s patience with Gregor’s recovery, including Grete. This change in behavior was all obvious enough to be noticed even by Gregor, “If his sister, exhausted from her work at the store, had gotten fed up with taking of Gregor as she used to…”(42). Eventually, the family hires an old cleaning lady to take over Grete’s duties to look after Gregor, but Grete’s new reluctance to Gregor’s aid exemplifies her growing metamorphosis. 

          Furthermore, not only does her care for Gregor’s wellbeing decline drastically, her metamorphosis becomes more sinister towards the end of the novel. After essentially replacing Gregor as the financial provider for the family and gaining increasing respect from her parents, she advocates for Gregor’s removal from the house by saying: “Things can’t go on like this. Maybe you don’t realize it, but I do. I won’t pronounce the name of my brother in front of this monster, and so all I say is: we have to try to get rid of it. We’ve done everything humanly possible to take care of it and to put up with it; I don’t think anyone can blame us in the least”(48). Her comment was met with support from her father. From Gregor’s sole caretaker to giving up on Gregor, from living under the shadows of Gregor to being an eligible young woman, her transformation is evident but scholars have also suggested that her transformation success came at the expense of Gregor, “only when Grete blooms into an eligible young woman, ripe for the job and marriage markets, can we recognize that her empowerment is also an ironic reification. She has been transformed at another’s expense, and she will carry within her the marketplace values that have ultimately destroyed Gregor”(Straus, 658). Her sinister behavior at the end of the novel does not only reflect her attitude towards Gregor but also thriving on the back of Gregor’s decline, this idea is reflected throughout the novel, for example, in the same paragraph towards of novel, Kafka describes Grete as “a women blooming and stretching toward the family’s new dreams” but suggests Gregor has been transformed into literally and figuratively garbage. 

Unique in its own way, Kafka’s novel offers a breath of fresh air in terms of stereotypical protagonist character arcs. While Gregor undoubtedly remains the focal point for much of the plot, Grete’s slow descent into increasing sinistersm could not be ignored. In her own way, Grete’s character overtakes Gregor’s in the novel as she replaces him in many aspects of life. Agree or disagree, it is undeniable that Grete’s unique non-protagonist yet main character arc bears equal if not more resemblances to the themes of the metamorphosis than Gregor. 

Bibliography 

Straus, Nina Pelikan. “Transforming Franz Kafka's ‘Metamorphosis.’” Signs, vol. 14, no. 3, 1989, pp. 651–667. JSTOR. Accessed 22 July 2021.

Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis”. 1915. Accessed 23 July 2021.