Investigating Madness Within Power Structures
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published 04/05/2008
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Summary
Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is full of power structures that dictate the actions of each character. Each character finds him or herself in a role of accountability and responsibility that dictates how he or she acts, particularly towards other characters. Gregor, for instance, is accountable to his boss and has a certain amount of responsibilities that arise from his duties. His boss is accountable to a larger abstract conglomerate of higher-ups who represent the larger of the company that he and Gregor work for. In this manner his responsibilities create for him a role he must maintain in order to keep Gregor in check. These are two examples of many power dynamics between characters. These two dynamics however are good examples of the work-place power structure. In The Metamorphosis this structure includes employers, employees, debtors, and familial relations dependant upon the structure’s income. Within this structure one finds it difficult to maintain a sense of agency when so much of each character’s action is dependant upon his or her ability to maintain status in the power structure which supports his or her life. In studying madness, a common thread found in determining madness is one’s inability to pursue one’s own agency. This is not simply to say that madness is found when external forces dictate what one is able to do in life. What this really means is that one has agency—something that one does or plans to do and is clearly in his or her best interest—but acts against it because of some sort of irritating force. In “The Metamorphosis” it is clear that the financial power structure has such a gripping hold on the characters that it is this structure which brings the characters to act against their own best interests.The most obvious instance of submission comes from Gregor. He is placed on the lowest rung of the power structure because of who he is accountable to and responsible for. He is under the power of his family because he works for their income. He is under the power of his boss because his boss is the source of the Samsa income.
key words- Samsa, Brian Danoff, Hannah Arendt,
key words- Samsa, Brian Danoff, Hannah Arendt,
Table of Contents
- Gregor makes another free will decision by dedicating himself to paying for his sister's violin lessons at a university.
- He also has enough personal freedom within his mind to fantasize about his boss becoming a bug.
- There are several turning points where his family turns on him.
- He has no control over determining whether or not he is well or even sane.
- Arendt is arguing here that the loss of individuality is one of a few prerequisites to the creation of a totalitarian society.
- Gregor complies with his submission even as he is turned upon.
- Amidst these things, Gregor's family shows him a great deal of disrespect.
- Gregor rests on a peculiar rung of the financial power structure within Samsa life.
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