Franz Kafka Metamorphosis

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Confusion. Agony. Despair. War. These are just a few adjectives to describe Picasso’s famous painting Guernica. The painting features a scene of grey, black and white chaotic figures that are various animals, people and objects. The name of the mural Guernica represents the village in northern Spain, that was bombed in the time of the Spanish Civil War. This famous painting features a controversial anti-war message to the public, that made it widely popular among audiences. In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, animal symbolisms are serve a similar purpose like the animals in Guernica. The main character, Gregor, wakes up one day to his development of an insect. Kafka’s gloomy commentary on the subject of family and society stays consistent…show more content…
One day, he wakes up in a bug-like state, unaware how his transformation happened. He begins to panic and quickly tried to find a solution so he can go to work. Throughout his thought process, it is apparent that he cares and worries about his family a lot; they rely on him for their own well-being. Since Gregor is unable to reverse his metamorphosis as a bug, we can conclude that his father is upset that his well-being is being threatened. Since Gregor can't go to work and make money for the family, his father is taking out his aggression on him. When Gregor’s father throws apples at him, chaos…show more content…
As stated before, Guernica is painting that represents the Bombing of Guernica, one of the first aerial bombings by the Nazi party. In the painting, we see two animals: a bull and horse. The significance of the bull is crucial. Bulls are the unofficial national symbol of Spain, since bullfighting is a traditional sport in Spain. With this bullfighting symbolism, it associates Guernica with a specifically nationalistic meaning. Next to the bull, there is a man with a broken sword. Instead of a “matador” bowing to the crowds before a slaughtered bull, the bull remains stoically standing to the left side. While the ‘matador’ lays dead on the ground, he has in hand the sword that he might have used to slaughter the bull, broken off in his hand. The bull remains peaceful in Guernica, with the other figures in the painting turned toward the bull. This serves as an peaceful “center” for the war painting on the left side of the canvas. We can also interpret that the bull is hovering over the mother and child below itself from danger, which is sign of strength and
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