Me, Myself, and I

This past week we started reading and analyzing the story of Siddhartha. I have been looking forward to reading this book all year, as Buddhism and the story of Siddhartha have always interested me. When I was a little younger I went on a trip to India, and in an attempt to educate me before arriving my mother had me read a red book about the life of the Buddha, starting out from when he was young Siddhartha in a palace with luxurious everything. He went for a ride (or a walk or something unusual for him) outside of the palace gates when he saw a procession of people mourning over a dead person. He had never experienced sadness, sickness, or death, and therefore was very intrigued and shocked at how the world wasn't as perfect as it had been made out to be. This is not the same story as the one translated by Herman Hesse we are reading in class, however having a slight connection to the overall concept makes me appreciate Siddhartha that much more.


Siddartha's view on life is quite different than what was the norm for his peers (as in the Samanas), although he did not realize what he wanted from the very beginning. He had the incredible tolerance and patience to become a Samana, and excelled at everything his teachers taught him. He kept wanting more, to learn new things, and that is when I formed my opinion that he was arrogant. Siddhartha realized what he wanted to do was find one's Self, and hey; the more power to him! But he told off the Buddha rather harshly and with an air of cockiness and I did not like how he talked to the Buddha, especially when the Buddha was only trying to help him realize his arrogance before it led to his fall. I think it's very understandable that Siddhartha would want to find his own way, yet I believe he is becoming over-confident in himself. It is very intriguing to see if Siddhartha follows the hero's path and in the near future falls.

Quote Analysis for Siddhartha

"I'll be my own teacher, my own pupil. I'll study myself, learn the secret that is Siddhartha" (Hesse 35).     


"We are not walking in a circle, we are ascending; the circle is a spiral, and we have already climbed many of it's steps" (Hesse 16).



"Siddhartha realized he was youth no longer." (Hesse 33).



'”...It is not fitting for me to pass judgement on another's life! Only for myself, for myself alone, must I judge, must I choose, must I reject'" (Hesse 31).

Heavy Decisions

Humans are independent beings, yet dependent on things like the environment, financial situations, and social status. Therefore, when the surroundings change one must change as well because of that dependency. Humans are forced to evolve and to adapt to their new surroundings. The modernist movement came at the turn of the century, affecting all of the writers of that age including Franz Kafka. The common modernist idea concerned the alienating affects of modern society. The modernist movement focused on seeing the world in a new way and reach new possibilities. Kafka's characters in The Metamorphosis did that exact thing. In The Metamorphosis, Kafka's main character Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning only to discover he has transformed into a giant bug. In the beginning of most books of that time the author would have given an introduction of the characters, but in this story Kafka plunged straight into the action. The ideas of existentialism, vampirism, and modernism all go hand in hand and contribute to understanding the parable that is The Metamorphosis. 

The Metamorphosis is an astonishing piece of literature created by Kafka. It tells the story of Gregor Samsa, the traveling salesman, and how he works hard day after day in hopes of paying off his parents' debt. Existentialism is complex and its definition alone could be contemplated for hours on end, but the basics of it is that it is a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of choice, suggesting we only exist if we make our own decisions independently of outside influence. "Once I've got together the money to pay off my parents' debt to him--that should take another five or six years--I'll do it for sure. Then I'll make my big break. In any case, right now I have to get up. My train leaves at five o'clock" (Kafka 1). From an existential point of view, Gregor is choosing his own path through life by planning out what he is going to do and when, yet he IS still paying off his parents' debt completely; something that was not his responsibility, yet it became his. This idea of existentialism forms in the beginning of The Metamorphosis with Gregor's transformation into a giant bug. Why would such a selfless, loving person be cursed with the transformation of human to insect? "...what a demanding job I've chosen! Day in, day out...if I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I'd have quit ages ago. I would've gone to the boss and told him just what I think from the bottom of my heart" (Kafka 1). This is where existentialism comes into play; one could say that if Gregor hadn't been so easily pushed around and stuck up for himself in the first place, he wouldn't have ended up with a job he hated and become so isolated from society/his family. It is arguable, however, because Gregor did, in fact, choose his job, whether that be under the influence of his horrendous family or not (which he does admit if it had not been for his parents' sake he most certainly would have quit long ago). "And out of her delicacy of feeling, since she knew that Gregor would not eat in front of her, she went away very quickly and even turned the key in the lock, so that Gregor could now know that he might make himself as comfortable as he wished" (Kafka 10). Gregor's lack of identity causes him to be oblivious and numb to the things and people around him; he ironically mistakes Grete's fear and disgust of him to be thoughtfulness and love. The underlying theme of the story is in an existential view; any given choice will govern the later course of a person's life and that that person has the ultimate will over making their own choices. 

In Thomas C. Foster's Nice to Eat With You and Nice to Eat You, the importance and symbolism of communion is emphasized.  Communion is essentially time spent together or moments shared that create a bond within people, no matter what the event taking place might be, ranging from smoking weed to having a simple meal together. "Here's a thing to remember about of all kinds: in the real world, breaking bread is an act of sharing and peace, since if you're breaking bread you're not breaking heads" (Foster 8). The act of having a meal with somebody, whether that be in your home or theirs, is so intimate and personal that a bond is formed or an existing bond is made stronger. As Foster mentions, one wouldn't accept an invitation to dinner from somebody they did not care for. "Without thinking any more about how they might be able to give Gregor special pleasure, the sister very quickly kicked some food or other, whatever she felt like, into his room..." (Kafka 20). In The Metamorphosis, it is evident that there is no communion, no sharing of food within the Samsa household, most certainly not with the bug that is Gregor. At the beginning, Gregor feels appreciation towards his sister for feeding him, for keeping him alive and well. His oblivion and love for her blinds him from the fact that she does not want anything to do with him and his disgusted by his presence. "...he was in no mood to worry about his family. He was filled with sheer anger over the wretched care he was getting...streaks of dirt ran along the walls...the extensive dampness made Gregor sick, and he lay spread out, embittered and immobile, on the couch...the mother's punishment did not fail to materialize...Gregor hissed at all this..." (Kafka 20). Eventually he became angry that he was being fed garbage and tensions increased with his temper rising. The act of communion is the Samsa household is nowhere to be found; they parents of Gregor even allow complete strangers, renters, to sit and eat in the place where the family used to share food.

All eating in literature, however, is not necessarily friendly. Vampires in literature are essentially beings who feed off others in order to grow stronger themselves, as well as the idea of communion.  "...it struck him how easy all this would be if someone were to come to his aid...Now, quite apart from the fact that the doors were locked, should he really call out for help? In spite of all his distress, he was unable to suppress a smile at this idea" (Kafka 3). In The Metamorphosis Gregor's family never appreciates his hard work and dedication towards them, and take him for granted. Gregor is blinded by his love for his family, his compassion and selflessness. "...his father gave him one really strong liberating push from behind, and he scurried, bleeding severely, far into the interior of his room. The door was slammed shut with the cane, and then finally it was quiet" (Kafka 9). The father of Gregor has no sympathy for him even after his metamorphosis; he only seems concerned about the family's financial situation on the day of Gregor's transformation. The only two instances in which he interacts with Gregor directly is in a violent manner; once to beat Gregor back into his room, isolating him once again and the other to literally and metaphorically stab him in the back by throwing fruit at him, effectively killing him. "...it struck Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, almost at the same moment, as they looked at their daughter, who was getting more animated all the time, how she had blossomed recently, in spite of all the troubles which had made her cheeks pale, into a beautiful and voluptuous young woman" (Kafka 27). In earlier times of literature the topic of sex was too unapproachable yet interesting to many people, so the concept of vampirism in literature was used. The parents of Gregor and Grete Samsa, after having used Gregor to his maximum capacity and killed him off, now notice how their daughter is maturing and will soon be able to satisfy their rather greedy needs involving a monetary income and care for themselves. There has been a link from sex to evil for many people ever since the serpent seduced Eve, therefore making vampirism an effective form of translating sexual acts in literature into different forms. 

All in all, life is based solely off decisions made. The people whom one chooses to be with will be the cause of your rise or the cause of your fall, and the wiser ones will choose the genuine companions instead of allowing manipulative people to feed off their pain and misery, such as Gregor's father fed off his pain and wound of the apple stabbed in his back. By studying and understanding the concepts of existentialism, modernism, and vampirism, the humor and, in effect, parable of Kafka can be understood by the reader. Gregor's life after his metamorphosis was richly laced with symbolism of these ideas, and the humor of Kafka visible and audible to the trained eye and ear. 

Bud and Blud

In Nice to Eat With You, Thomas C Foster shares his views on how food and meals are used symbolically in literature. He says food or feast of any kind symbolizes camaraderie, making this a form of communion. Communion not only stands for religious affiliation but also sexual attraction or two opposite sides coming to an agreement.
When sex is not always appropriate, the film director or author uses food as a way to address the sexual attraction indirectly. "...chomping, gnawing, sucking on bones, licking fingers; a more leering, slurping, groaning, and, in short, sexual meal has never been consumed...it constitutes a shared experience" (Foster 9). By saying this, he is explaining how communion does not have to be made necessarily with food. Food can be replaced with a joint, for example. "Passing a joint doesn't quite resemble the wafer and the chalice, does it?...here is a substance they take into their bodies in a shared, almost ritualistic experience" (Foster 3). This act says how you are with the other person, you are sharing the moment with the person, and you feel a bond of community with the person.

Then comes a transition from Nice to Eat With You to Nice to Eat You in How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Foster explains how there are literal acts of vampirism. "A nasty old man, attractive but evil, violates young women, leaves his mark on them, steals their innocence...and leaves them helpless followers in his sin" (Foster 16). This was literal vampirism, as these pedophiliac men are stealing young women's virginities. Foster also includes symbolic acts of vampirism, and this would include selfishness, exploitation, refusal to respect the bodies of other people, using people to get what you want, and placing your own desires--even the ugly ones--above the needs of other people. "Because there was so much the Victorians couldn't write about directly, chiefly sex or sexuality, they found ways of transforming those taboo subjects and issues into other forms" (Foster 17).

Droning On

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis showed hidden meanings that were only attainable after deep analysis of the text. It becomes difficult to hold your focus on the novella; something intentionally done by Kafka (the only way to effectively describe the world is to do so from different viewpoints and in symbolic language). Existentialism, by definition, is a philosophical theory that emphasizes an individual's existence. There is no possible way to define it in a simple sentence, however: that was just an absurdly blunt opening introduction to the endless definition that is existentialism. It tends to deny the existence of objective values, but instead stressing about the value and significance of human freedom and experience. Sympathy, empathy, and apathy all link into existentialism as well. Sympathy meaning "I'll comfort you", empathy meaning "I understand you", and apathy meaning "I don't care".
 In The Metamorphosis, Gregor does not get a chance to experience this essential human freedom and experience because he has no connections or voice in his home (and calling it a "home" could be debatable). When he wakes up in his room, which is shaped like a box, he finds himself to be transformed from a human to a bug. Surprisingly enough, he is hardly emotionally affected by the metamorphosis; he is more concerned about how he is going to be able to work instead. His life is very much alike the one of a drone in an ant colony. His family is very lazy and in debt and rely on Gregor to provide for them, and Gregor doesn't seem to mind. He never expects anything in return for his hard work. He sees his family in a sympathetic view, therefore their horribly selfish deeds are fogged by Gregor's point of view (in which the story is read through). He becomes a burden to his family because his lack of ability to support the family anymore; he has devoted the rest of his life to himself. According to Kafka and existentialism, people have a side with commitment to society and an individual side. To maintain balance, our choices need to be in moderation of the two. If somebody chooses himself over society, society will abandon him. If he chooses society over himself, he will no longer have his individuality. Gregor, at the beginning, chose society over himself, and he ended up transforming into a working drone. When his metamorphosis stunts his ability to choose society over himself, he is forced to focus on only himself and his family (society) abandoned him. Gregor never intentionally hurt his family, although they came around and stabbed him in the back; literally and metaphorically. His father threw an apple into his back which eventually killed him. Existentialism in The Metamorphosis shows that the balance between the two depends on the choices of the individual.

Overcast

     In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa wakes up one day to discover he was transformed into a giant bug. Being a traveling salesman and the source of income for his family, he is not concerned greatly about the fact that he is no longer a human being, but that it is a pain because he had to go to work today. "'O God,' he thought, 'what a demanding job I've chosen! Day in, day out, on the road...once I've got together the money to pay off my parents' debt...'" (Kafka 1). Right from the beginning of the story it is evident that Gregor is a selfless person. He works day in and day out in order to be able to pay off his parents large debt, which he later says might take him another five or six years. This is a largely ordinary problem and yet a problem he stays focused on for the rest of the story, as well as his family problems. "Gregor had no intention of opening the door, but congratulated himself on his precaution, acquired from traveling, of locking all doors during the night, even at home" (Kafka 2). Gregor's family and boss were all trying to get him to come out of his room, even though they had no idea what his current situation was. They couldn't get into his room themselves because, as Gregor said, Gregor had a habit of locking his door every night, even at home. Gregor had long since been isolated from the outside world and his family. "...it struck him how easy all this would be if someone were to come to his aid...now, quite apart from the fact that the doors were locked, should he really call out for help? In spite of all his distress, he was unable to suppress a smile at this idea" (Kafka 3). Gregor is laying in his room, fighting with his new body to get up and open the door. It could all have gone easily if he and his family didn't lack so much communication; his family could have easily opened the door for him.

     In The Metamorphosis, Kafka uses the settings in order to better explain the dysfunctional family's problems. There is a great imbalance of equality in duty in the Samsa family, and weather is used to show it. "Gregor's glance then turned to the window. The dreary weather--the rain drops were falling audibly down on the metal window ledge--made him quite melancholy" (Kafka 1). This draws a rather depressing image, depressing like how the family's financial situation is. The Samsa family doesn't lift a pinky (except for Gregor, of course) and unfairly enough they are no longer grateful for Gregor's financial aid to them. "Once in the early morning--a hard downpour, perhaps already a sign of the coming spring, struck the window panes..." (Kafka 20). Gregor, observing the weather like always, noticed this hard downpour which was, in effect, foreshadowing the upcoming events for the Samsa household. The "hard downpour" may have very well been foreshadowing the upcoming fall of Gregor; his father threw an apple and hit him hard, having the apple sink into him and rot there, making Gregor weaker and weaker until his death. "Then all three left the apartment together, something they had not done for months now, and took the electric tram into the open air outside the city. The car in which they were sitting by themselves was totally engulfed by the warm sun" (Kafka 27). By the end of the story, the weather has completely changed, going from dreary rain to blanketing the car with sunlight. This conjures a much more positive image and explains that equilibrium of family duties for the Samsas is very important and correlated it to the weather's transformations.