Continuing off of class discussions about the nature of Gregor's parents, I would like to propose that they are symbols for an oppressive familial obligation. They swarm around his room, which somehow has an incredible number of doors through which his relatives can peek in. The way they hover and beg him to come out of his room is strikingly claustrophobic, both literally and figuratively. Doubtlessly, Gregor has a filial obligation to his parents and a fraternal one to his sister, but its the way that his family expects it from him shamelessly and almost condescendingly that does not resonate with me.
For it raises the question of how deep that obligation really goes. Do you still owe something to a person who has rejected you because you cannot provide for him any longer? I do not believe so, but then again my experience is limited. I love my family despite our disputes, and I'm sure Kafka appreciated his too, and he expresses it through Gregor all the while layering a mocking undertone to Gregor's family. The father is weak yet strong and can't be expected to work; the mother is always gasping under the window, and the younger sister, lovely person that she is, is still childish and naive. It seems as if Gregor is the only sensible creature - ironic there since he's actually a cockroach - and through his reflections, we perceive a caring yet overbearing family.
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