(no subject)
Also, the work is dotted with humorous little situations. Each family member has his or her own specific way of coping with the new arrangement. Gregor’s father, for example, is highly suspicious of his son and resorts to violence in their interactions. After Grete tells her father “Gregor broke loose,” the father assumes the worst and immediately turns to threats. Obviously, the best way to threaten a bug is to stomp. Gregor is “dumbfounded at the enormous size of his shoe soles.” Now, the soothing hand of humor delicately comforts the readers. Father and son break out into a snail-paced, jerky merry-go-round of a chase in the living room. The father uses high-knees in junction with his huge shoe soles to drive Gregor forward step-by-step. Gregor is winded with all the scuttling though. Then, to add injury to insult, Gregor’s father uses his weapon of choice, apples. He murderously pelts Gregor with apples. Not knives, bullets, or even paperweights, but apples. Fortunately, his mother saves him. How ironic would it be to be murdered by fresh, healthy fruit? Later, the old widow, “the charwoman,” is hired. She is not frightened or even shocked at Gregor’s appearance. In fact, she called him to her with comical phrases such as “Come along, then, you old dung beetle!” or “Look at the old dung beetle, then.” Of course, Gregor ignored the insinuating catcalls, but he soon tired of this ridicule. When he finally snapped and charged at the imbecile, she lifted a chair and openly gaped her mouth at him in preparation for murder. To complete her ignorant actions she asks him “So you’re not coming any nearer?” These near fatal encounters add comic relief to Gregor’s unfortunate spiral into depression.