Family Dynamics in The Metamorphosis Essay

A conscious level can be teaching other family member whereas an unconscious level is emotional behaviors or reactions (Bowen Theory, 2014). Parents actively shape their children while children respond to their parent attitudes, moods and actions. The consequence of parents shaping their children is parents cause their children to have the same level of differentiation as the parents. The children may then seek out mates with the same level of differentiation as mentioned in nuclear family emotional process. The levels of differentiation becomes more distinct over multigenerational as the differentiation is repeated through generations (Bowen Theory, 2014). The different levels of differentiation can affect the whole life functions of a multigenerational family from marital stability, longevity, health, reproduction, educational success or failure, and occupational success (Bowen Theory, 2014). The transmission occurring through multigenerational not only affect an individual’s sense of self but how the interact with other people.

As we know families as always changing and so are the dynamics. Communication is a transactional process that is changing over time. Two central scopes of family behavior are adaptability and cohesion. Each is divided into four levels to create 16 combinations. Overtime it has changed to fit into cohesion, adaptability and communication.

On the surface, “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka is an evocative story of a man transformed into a “monstrous vermin”. It seems to focus on the dark transformation of the story’s protagonist, Gregor, but there is an equal and opposing transformation that happens within Gregor’s family. Although Gregor has physically changed at the beginning of the story, he remains relatively unchanged as the novella progresses. The family, on the other hand, is forced to drastically change how they support themselves. Although the change was unexpected, Gregor’s transformation into a vermin sets into motion a change in the Samsa family that leaves them better off in almost every facet of their lives. Thus, Kafka’s story is not one of descent into darkness, but one of a family’s ascent towards self-actualization. The metamorphosis the title speaks of does not take place in Gregor, but rather in the Samsa Family; consequently, Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is not a tale of darkness, disconnection and despair, but rather a story of hope, new beginnings and perseverance.

Although families may not always feel this connectedness, it is always there. The emotional climate of the family is interdependent of what is going on in the family as a whole. If one unit of the family is distant emotionally, it can have a great affect on the whole family. These attitudes are reciprocated throughout the entire family. It is important that most family members are able to stay healthy emotionally and have that ability to communicate their feelings to one another. Problems arise when individuals don’t fulfill their roles that are needed from all family members. Michael Kerr, explained this idea in an article he wrote to explain the family system theory. He explained that “heightened tension can intensify these processes that promote that promote unity and teamwork, and this can lead to problems” (Kerr,

Gregor's existence before the metamorphosis was much like after it; limited to work and family, he went unnoticed by both. After changing into a cockroach one night, Gregor is forced to live a life of isolation with a family who is appalled by him. He is placed in a "dark bedroom, in the jumble of discarded furniture and filth" a " monstrous vermin, a grotesque, hidden part of the family" (Eggenschwiler 211). Shock and terror, resulting in Gregor being locked away, marked his family's reaction to his metamorphosis. His sister is the only one that, while frightened, would tend to Gregor's room and meals. She even took the responsibility so far as to get angry with anyone who

The family systems theory is a process that views the family as a dynamic and interactive system (Kaakinen et al., 2015). The system is composed of subsystems which interact and respond to the internal and external environments. The goal of the system is to achieve and maintain stability (Kaakinen et al., 2015). Stability is achieved through adaptive behaviour (Kaakinen et al., 2015). However, if maladaptive behaviour occurs the system can become

Prior to his transformation, Gregor’s sense of identity relied on his family’s necessities. Once his father lost his sheer unsuccessful business, “Gregor’s only concern had been to devote everything he had in order to allow his family to forget as quickly as possible the business misfortune which had brought them all into a state of complete hopelessness” (Kafka 35). After this tragic monetary loss, Gregor decides to step in and become a traveling salesman in order to provide for his family financially. Gregor’s simple action to seek and accept his new role as the family’s breadwinner reflects his humble personality. Gregor’s humility can also be seen during the realization stage of his transformation into a giant insect when his only worry at the time is how he will manage to catch the five o’clock train to his job (Kafka 5). However, once his family realizes he has transformed into a hideous bug, they no longer want anything to do with him. Instead, they dehumanize Gregor’s identity by referring to him as “[T]his animal plagues us. It drives away the lodgers, will obviously take over the entire apartment, and leave us to spend the night in the alley” (Kafka 69). By doing so, Gregor begins to lose the identity he had prior to his metamorphosis that relied solely to his family. Similarly, this is a theme that many high school students can relate to. As teenage students are metamorphosing into young adults, they agonize the thought of losing their

The characters in Aimee Bender's “The Rememberer” and Franz Kafka's “The Metamorphosis” are all adjusting to life after their love ones started to change. On each story the characters behaviors change and the reaction to each citation take a different perspective on life. Bender’s “The Rememberer” the narrator and Ben are lovers presenting a physical and intellectual connection to each other sadness “He was always sad about the word. It was a large reason why I love him. We’d sit together and be sad and think about being sad and sometimes discuss sadness” (Bender 101).

Throughout the years, the family dynamics has changed; as far as how each family member interacts with one another over preferences or who share common interests with one another. Although each family unit varies, family members must be cohesive this is where the family dynamics come into action. Difficult situations that families may encounter can cause a bit of imbalance within the family dynamics and are often described as dysfunctional, conflict of personal interest with one another can also be a factor or they disagree. Other times, families often argue over a family member who disapproves of what the other family member is doing with their life. Family dynamics is are not always powered by common interest and goals but rather some other

He isolates his family, himself, and his work by the pressures that society places upon his shoulders, especially within his family. Gregor’s metamorphosis is when he transforms into a bug, but also represents his growing awareness of his isolation. Out of this understanding comes rage; Gregor’s wrath is exposed when he becomes infuriated at the way his family neglected him. In addition to anger and despair is of his realization and his transitions into the phase of depression. Watching his family give more consideration to others, such as the lodgers, while he is given no care at all brings about a sorrow that engulfs him. Acceptance comes for Gregor at the final point in his life; he comes to a full recognition of his isolation with a sense of peace at the moments of his last breath. Gregor’s death gave him the ultimate freedom from all of the pressure and alienation that had entrapped him for so long ("Gregor Samsa’s

Each member of a family has certain roles, and when those roles are tested, the ideals of the family shifts, altering the family at its core. Family is normally something you should be able to come back to at the end of the day and be at ease with their company, but what if your family and household is your own personal prison, with the struggles of daily life piling upon you? The roles given to a member of the family could rage from the most menial task, like taking out the garbage, to something as strenuous as earning the entire family’s income. When everything goes as planned, the family seems to run like a well oiled machine, but when a member of a family is indisposed and unable to complete their given role or task, who will take their

In conclusion metamorphosis relates to even real life situations and it's a good book to read if you are going through an hard time in your life with dealing with change because it really shows the negativity that someone can show, can really crush a person and it could even lead to worse situations.This book had an huge impact on my life and how i see things differently because not everyone has the same point of view and some things you can't change about yourself so you either learn to accept it or just face the consequences of not accepting

change or how to solve it. For example, Gregor’s family doesn’t seek out for any help, and they

The damaging effects of alienation are emphasized in the novella The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka’s display of weakening relationships in Gregor’s family and in Gregor’s loss of humanity. The full body transformation that Gregor goes through creates a feeling of confinement as he begins to adapt to his new style of life as an insect. Furthermore, Kafka shows the distancing between Gregor and his family and how they close him out from their conversations and go on living without thinking too much about his death and all that he has done for the family. Kafka’s emphasis on Gregor’s seclusion from his family and society expresses how essential bonds and relationships with family and friends are to an individual’s

demand increasingly independence and less restriction. On the same time, they cultivate new cognitions and expectations as getting more contact to the society. 15 For the alteration mentioned, the former balance is certainly to be broken. Then the whole family members are going to endeavor to learn from their experiences in their patterns of communication , made a decision if they should adopt or change the family models and form an adjustment of the family system in order to achieve new equilibrium. 16 During this deconstruction and reconstruction