From the novella that we’ve read (Metamorphosis), and the Movie that we watched I would say that to describe something as Kafkaesque is to say it is strange and unusual. I would also guess that it was/is fantastical. In the way that Kafka make you believe that the man has very well turned into a bug, the term must refer to something that one would normally think impossible.
The movie “Kafka” I now see as very Kafkaesque because of the strangeness of the entire predicament. The fact that they were trying to create a better human, one that was more efficient is not a bad idea but the way that they were trying to achieve this was a bit fantastical.
After looking up the definition of Kafkaesque I found that it also includes a constant sense of danger. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kafkaesque) “Kafka” definitely displayed this characteristic through the crazy, sickly man that did the attacking throughout the movie. This was also through the constant state of alert that Kafka was in. Also from this definition that I found, I understand that Kafka also applies dehumanization to his works. Dehumanization is seen in the movie through the slave like nature of the sick man.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Paragraph about passage
First Attempt:
This passages displays the new life of Gregor Samsun. Because of the new changes in his life it appears that the memories and people in his life begin to mean less to him than they did originally. Before the passage begins Gregor changes his mind concerning the whereabouts of his furniture. His references to his sister and Mother appear to be detached while when he mentions his furniture and past life it is with detail. Nearing the end of the passage, Gregor, describes the action of his mother, however he refers to her as being his sisters mother instead of his. This contrast with his possessive reaction towards his picture, he react more fondly toward his picture then his mother. The final sentence also displays his new aversion to his family because of his reaction to Grete when she attempts to take his picture. This reaction to his sister who he was previously very fond of portrays his new inhuman nature.
Second attempt: As Gregor’s room is being emptied of all the furniture, his recollections of the past and his brief reference to his mother and sister display his inhuman and bug like nature: “They were clearing his room out; taking away everything he loved; the chest in which he kept his jigsaw and other tools was already dragged off; they were now loosening the desk which had almost sunk into the floor, the desk at which he had done all his homework when he was at the commercial academy, at the secondary school before that, and, yes, even at the primary school-he he no more time to waste in weighing the good intentions of the two women, whose existence he had by now almost forgotten…” As Gregor’s mother and sister remove all the furnishings from his room Gregor’s sense of his own inhuman nature are recognized and his nostalgic memories display the contrast with his earlier bug like mentality. Kafka’s use of long sentence structures demonstrates Gregor’s connecting thoughts and how be becomes lost in them. Because of Gregor’s deep and lasting thoughts about his old life are detailed and direct we can understand that this desk was important, this object that will forever remain part of his old life hold great importance to Gregor. The fact that his mind is completely absorbed by his old writing desk and then “by now almost forgotten” his mother and sister is a very important detail. From this short statement we can see that Gregor no longer considers himself part of the family because of his physical appearance. When Gregor next speaks of his sister and mother he identifies them as the two women. This title that Gregor applies to his family members makes them appear not to be that important to him. Gregor new form has so completely change his that his connections toward his family have changed and now only the concrete things in his past are of any value to him.
Second attempt: As Gregor’s room is being emptied of all the furniture, his recollections of the past and his brief reference to his mother and sister display his inhuman and bug like nature: “They were clearing his room out; taking away everything he loved; the chest in which he kept his jigsaw and other tools was already dragged off; they were now loosening the desk which had almost sunk into the floor, the desk at which he had done all his homework when he was at the commercial academy, at the secondary school before that, and, yes, even at the primary school-he he no more time to waste in weighing the good intentions of the two women, whose existence he had by now almost forgotten…” As Gregor’s mother and sister remove all the furnishings from his room Gregor’s sense of his own inhuman nature are recognized and his nostalgic memories display the contrast with his earlier bug like mentality. Kafka’s use of long sentence structures demonstrates Gregor’s connecting thoughts and how be becomes lost in them. Because of Gregor’s deep and lasting thoughts about his old life are detailed and direct we can understand that this desk was important, this object that will forever remain part of his old life hold great importance to Gregor. The fact that his mind is completely absorbed by his old writing desk and then “by now almost forgotten” his mother and sister is a very important detail. From this short statement we can see that Gregor no longer considers himself part of the family because of his physical appearance. When Gregor next speaks of his sister and mother he identifies them as the two women. This title that Gregor applies to his family members makes them appear not to be that important to him. Gregor new form has so completely change his that his connections toward his family have changed and now only the concrete things in his past are of any value to him.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Gregor and His Job
Gregor's "relationship" with his job is not the best. This aversion to his own job is talked about often when the Chief comes to visit the house. Because Gregor is only strapped to this job because of his parents debts, his connection to his career is different than most. This requirement, to work in a job he despises because of someone else, comes across to the audience. We feel his dislike of the jobs requirements and feel his worry at being fired when the Chief comes and sees he is a giant bug. / Before he becomes a bug it is apparent from the hints the author made that they were not living the highlife even though Gregor was working. This lack of luxury even though he is work is disheartening to the reader because the life of the character continues to get worse. The picture that Gregor put up on his wall depicts his longing for luxury because of the fur muffler and scarf the woman is wearing. We also see the comfort that Gregor experiences after he becomes a bug because he no long has to work for the tyrannical chief, unfortunately his life does eventually go downhill.
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