This passive, accepting behavior can be described as indicative of a masochist 1. So even if his motivation is to help his family, it is one more similar to an obligation or servancy. Gregor states that his main motivation for his employment situation is for his family to pay off their debts but we see then that his family does not act gratefully, but rather they expect this of him.
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It would even seem that this abusive environment motivates Gregor and that his fear of failing there drives him every day to same misery. However, rather than attempt to resolve these issues or find new employment he continues both working there and dwelling in his dislike for it. For example, when describing what his employment is like he describes it as an “exhausting job,” (2) where he has no friends, sense of security or regularity and where his employer “ on high at a desk and down to employees”(2). Furthermore, before Gregor has even managed to get out of bed, we learn that his drive is not to find pleasure for himself, but rather for others, in such a way that Gregor is only convinced is sufficient if it involves pain and suffering on his part. It is almost as the transformation does not put Gregor in a place far from his norm, as he finds the actuality of it far more acceptable than do his peers. From the first few paragraphs of The Metamorphosis Kafka portrays that Gregor is shy, lacks self confidence, and rather than having just awoken as a giant bug address his transformation as many another protagonist might, he immediately explores feelings of selfhate, isolation and inadequacy. Gregor Samsa is revealed as a masochist from the very beginning of the story. With the narrative written from Gregor’s perspective, presenting Gregor’s internal narrative and though, the true extent of submission to others that Gregor practices is understood, like how he submits to the suffering at a miserable job, or when we surrenders as a victim to his buggy condition rather than attempting to better his situation.
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Through the characters’ actions in light of Gregor Samsa’s change, Franz Kafka not only reveals the dynamic symbiosis between a person’s need to feel both pleasure and pain, but seems to also use this knowledge in the very construction of this narrative to manipulate his readers. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis presents the story of Gergor Samsa’s disturbing transformation into a bug, which strains both the relationships between other characters in the story with Gregor and the relationship Gregor has with himself.