Kafka v. Tolstoy

Frankz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” begins in a comical fashion. Gregor, the hard-working son of an unappreciative family, wakes up only to realize that he has transformed into a bug. After hours of panic, Gregor finally reveals his condition to his family that is both shocked and horrified. Gregor’s family’s reaction to his transformation is similar to that of Ivan Ilych’s family—they are terrified and only feel upset when they realize the loss negatively affects their well-being. This lack of understanding and compassion leads to Gregor’s death as he is locked up as a prisoner as opposed to being treated a loving member of the Samsa household.

Kafka, like Tolstoy, focuses on Gregor’s emotional state as opposed to his physical transformation. Though Kafka mentions his “little legs,” his “powerful jaws,” and the “brown liquid [that] poured out of his mouth,” (24), he focuses more on Gregor’s rejection from his family. When Gregor sees his family’s initial reaction to his transformation, he is hurt. He then spends the rest of his short life trying to hide himself from them in fear of causing further distress. The reader soon discovers that Gregor, when he was human, was taken for granted. When his family was in a financial crisis, “Gregor’s only concern [was] to do his utmost to make the family forget as quickly as possible the business failure that had plunged them all into a state of despair” (44). Although Gregor’s life goal is to provide for his family, he in turn does not have as much value to them. Once he becomes a bug, he is meaningless in their eyes.

Gregor is just like Ivan Ilych—he realizes he cannot fix his problem, and all he desires is compassion from his family. However, because he is “ill,” his family completely dehumanizes him. They speak about him as though he is invisible, “If he could understand us…then perhaps we would be able to reach some agreement with him…” (84). His sister’s initial kindness to Gregor is the only thing that keeps him alive for so long. But as her affection diminishes, so does his health. Gregor feels grateful when his sister does not discriminate against him because of his new appearance; but slowly, simple things such as giving him food and cleaning his room become burdensome to her. It even gets to the point where her addressing him (even though it is yelling) causes him great amazement.

When Gregor becomes too much of a nuisance, he is locked up in his room as a patient in an asylum with nothing to do but await his slow, painful death. Near the end of the story, Gregor is being referred to as an “it” (80), and his family is ready to end his life. When his family finally locks him in the room where he ultimately dies, he begins to feel numb. All his physical pain becomes meaningless and his death is the result of the pain he feels from being so alone. Gregor is even aware that his life is coming to an end, “It was true that his entire body ached, but the pain seemed to him to be growing fainter and fainter and soon would go away altogether” (89).

Kafka and Tolstoy both show in their short stories that love surpasses any materialistic endeavor. Although wealth and fame can make a person successful and can provide a comfortable life, that life means nothing without compassion (574).

No Such Thing

"Welcome to the real world", she said to me
Condescendingly
Take a seat
Take your life
Plot it out in black and white
Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings
And the drama queens
I'd like to think the best of me
Is still hiding
Up my sleeve

They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

So the good boys and girls take the so called right track
Faded white hats
Grabbing credits
Maybe transfers
They read all the books but they can't find the answers
And all of our parents
They're getting older
I wonder if they've wished for anything better
While in their memories
Tiny tragedies

They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you got to rise above

I am invincible
As long as I'm alive

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above

I just can't wait til my 10 year reunion
I'm gonna bust down the double doors
And when I stand on these tables before you
You will know what all this time was for

-John Mayer

Where is the Love?

Everyone’s idea of an ideal life is different. Some strive for excellence in their professions, others desire wealth and fame, while some simply search for love. In Leo Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilych,” the protagonist, Ivan Ilych, spends the majority of his life trying to achieve perfection. During this quest for complete bliss, he loses sight of his desires and begins living his life in accordance to the norm. He ultimately faces his demise when he is unable to find understanding in anyone around him. Ivan Ilych’s painful, yet slow, death is caused by the lack of compassion he receives from his friends and family.

For Ivan Ilych, second best is never sufficient. Whether it is playing a game of bridge with his “so-called friends” (18), or providing the best for his family, Ivan Ilych never seems to have enough. The reader first sees this dissatisfaction in Ivan Ilych’s marriage. Although he is not in love with Praskovya Fedorovna, the marriage is seemingly perfect. He has many reasons for marrying her: “Praskovya Fedorovna came of a good family, was not bad-looking, and had some little property” (70). Despite these redeeming qualities, Ivan Ilych cannot help but think that he, “might have aspired for a more brilliant match” (70). Once those seeds of doubt have been planted in his mind, the marriage becomes doomed for failure. When his marriage begins to fail him, his life slowly falls apart.

Ivan Ilych tries to replace the lack of affection in his home life by gaining more recognition in the work force. When things become tough at home, Ivan Ilych distances himself even further. “His aim was to free himself more and more from those unpleasantness and to give them a semblance of harmlessness and propriety. He attained this by spending less and less time with his family, and when obliged to be at home he tried to safeguard his position by the presence of outsiders” (82). He even begins to believe that he can live without love, and he ultimately learns his mistake the hard way. When his professional life begins to suffer as well, he has reached a point where there is no one to stand by him, “Even his father did not consider it his duty to help him. Ivan Ilych felt abandoned. . .” (85).

Only once Ivan Ilych is ill does he realize how much he truly needs affection. As the relationship with his wife deteriorates, so does his health. Although he is in pain, the true hurt he is feeling is caused by his loneliness. His depressed state of mind only worsens his suffering, “And none of them know or wish to know it, and they have no pity for me” (155). The only person who is able to alleviate his pain is Gerasim. By simply showing Ivan Ilych that he cares, Gerasim is able to make him feel a little less alone.

Ivan Ilych’s death is symbolic. He does not die from the “floating kidney” (116), he dies from the lack of attention he receives when he most needs it. Tolstoy strategically focuses on his mental state as opposed to his physical pain, thus showing the reader the importance of meaningful relationships. Ivan Ilych ultimately welcomes death in his last few moments of life that are devoid of compassion (554).