The Metamorphosis

Gregor is wounded for a month, with the apple remaining lodged in his back. The incident, however, reveals to Mr. Samsa Gregor's lasting presence as a family member, whom "one should not treat as the enemy" (34). Gregor remains on the floor, unable to crawl the walls but is made somewhat happier that his family now keeps his bedroom door open for a few evening hours so that he can watch and listen to them. 

The family's interaction is not "the animated social interaction of former times" (34). Now, Mr. Samsa, exhausted from his job at the bank, falls asleep in his armchair, still in his uniform each night. Mrs. Samsa works on sewing "fine undergarments" (34) for a shop, and Grete works as a salesgirl during the day, studying French and stenography in the evening so that she might get a better job. Mr. Samsa refuses to move into bed and only does so when Mrs. Samsa and Grete pull him up by the armpits. 

Gregor also notices their household "getting constantly smaller" (35). They've let go of their kitchen maid and replaced her with "a huge bony cleaning woman" (35) who does the heavier cleaning work. Mrs. Samsa and Grete have both sold pieces of jewelry they once treasured. Gregor also hears the family complain about being unable to move to smaller apartment because they can't easily move Gregor. Gregor disagrees, thinking he could be easily moved "in a suitable box with a few air holes" (36). 

Gregor sleeps little, imagining that he will go out and "take over the family arrangements" (36) as he once did. He also imagines people he used to interact with and know. However, Gregor's anger over the care his family gives him eclipses any worry he has about them. Gregor thinks about taking anything he wants from the larder, even though he knows he won't. Instead of taking care to feed Gregor, Grete now hastily throws scraps into his room, "quite indifferent" (37) as to whether Gregor has eaten them or not. Grete also cleans Gregor's room with less effort so that Gregor often sits "in a particularly filthy corner" (37) trying to attract Grete's attention to it, although this seldom works. 

Despite her inattentiveness, Grete holds propriety over cleaning Gregor's room. When Mrs. Samsa dares to clean it one day, leaving the floors too damp for Gregor's comfort, Grete becomes "mightily offended" (38) and begins crying. Mr. Samsa then forbids either Mrs. Samsa or Grete from cleaning Gregor's room again. 

This doesn't mean neglect for Gregor, as the new cleaning woman has no fear of him. The cleaning woman enters Gregor's room without curiosity and, upon seeing him, has no reaction. Instead, she comes to check on Gregor each day, calling him an "old dung beetle" (38). This upsets Gregor and one day he moves towards the cleaning woman, "as if for an attack" (38). The cleaning woman, unperturbed, snatches a chair and holds it over Gregor, implying that she will either talk to him as she pleases or bring the chair down on his back. 

Other changes have come along, too. Gregor hardly eats now. He often only takes a bite of food, holds it in his mouth, and then spits it out. His family has taken in three male lodgers who brought with them furniture. The lodgers like things to be very clean and don't "tolerate any useless or shoddy stuff" (38). For this reason, the Samsas and their cleaning woman have taken to using Gregor's room for storage of any unnecessary furniture and accessories. 

Because the lodgers eat their dinner in the living room, the family keeps Gregor's bedroom door closed. This doesn't bother Gregor, who sometimes prefers to stretch out "in the darkest corner of his room" (39). One night, the cleaning woman forgets to close Gregor's door, and he watches as the three men sit down to eat meat and potatoes that Mrs. Samsa and Grete have prepared for them. Gregor wishes he could eat like they do. 

After dinner, Grete begins playing her violin in the kitchen, where she and her parents have eaten dinner. The lodgers walk to the kitchen, curious, and ask if Grete will come play for them in the living room. Mr. Samsa brings the music stand, Mrs. Samsa the sheet music, and Grete her violin. She begins to play again as her family and the lodgers look on. Gregor begins to move towards his open bedroom door, without regard for being seen. Due to his room's neglect, "dust, threads, hair, and remnants of food" (40) cover Gregor's body. 

Gregor makes his way onto the living room's "spotless floor" (40), hoping his sister will see him. Gregor notices the lodgers, who had stood just behind Grete, looking over her shoulder, have now moved to the window to smoke their cigars in a way that makes Gregor think they are "very irritated" (41) by Grete's playing. As Gregor creeps closer to his sister, he feels the "unknown nourishment" (41) he craves being finally satisfied. Gregor wishes that he could confine Grete to his room so that she could play for only him. He thinks she would stay with him "voluntarily" (41) and he could climb into her lap and whisper to her about his plans to send her to conservatory. 

At that moment, the middle lodger says, "Mr. Samsa" (41), and calmly points his finger at Gregor. The lodger shakes his head and smiles but doesn't appear upset. Grete stops playing her violin. Mr. Samsa tries to block the lodgers' view of Gregor and tries to push them back into their room. The lodgers begin demanding explanations from Mr. Samsa. Grete jumps into action, sneaking behind the lodgers into their room and fixing their beds for them. 

Finally, one of the lodgers stamps his foot and says he won't be staying with the Samsas any longer, "considering the disgraceful conditions prevailing in this apartment and family" (42). Furthermore, he says that he won't be paying for his time there and may be pursuing legal action. The other two lodgers follow suit, then lock themselves in their room. 

Mr. Samsa stumbles back to his arm chair. Gregor sits paralyzed by fear and hunger. Grete begins to speak to her parents, banging her hand on the table to get their attention. Grete says that they must not say Gregor's name "in front of that monster" (43). She says the only thing they can do now is "get rid of it" (43). Mr. Samsa agrees with Grete. Mrs. Samsa's asthma has started to act up and she begins coughing. Grete says she can that see Gregor's presence "killing" (43) her parents. Then she adds that she can't go on anymore and begins weeping. Mr. Samsa asks Grete what they should do and Grete, her confidence shaken, only shrugs. Mr. Samsa says, "If only he understood us" (43), in regard to Gregor. 

Grete starts up again about getting rid of Gregor. This time Grete urges her parents to abandon the idea that "this is Gregor" (44). She says that if this were Gregor, he would have realized long ago that "communal life" (44) between humans and a creature such as himself is impossible and gone away "voluntarily" (44). Grete maintains that instead, the creature stays on, driving away the lodgers and threatening to take over the apartment, which would leave them to "spend the night in the alley" (44). Gregor begins trying to turn himself around. His movement alarms Grete, who clings to Mr. Samsa.

Without anyone "urging him on" (44), Gregor slowly maneuvers himself back into his room. Once he gets inside, he turns his stiff neck to see his family, unchanged in their positions. One of them rushes to shut and lock his door behind him. Gregor finds himself unable to move at all, with "pains throughout his entire body" (45). However, he feels content and remains in a state of "empty and peaceful reflection" (45) until he awakens at three o'clock in the morning as the tower clock strikes the hour. Gregor's head sinks down to the floor as he takes his last breath.

In the morning, the cleaning woman enters Gregor's room, as per usual. She finds Gregor collapsed on the floor, unmoving. She uses her broom to try to tickle him, then pokes him and finds she can shove him "without any resistance" (45). The cleaning woman realizes Gregor is, in her words, "totally snuffed" (45). She rushes to the Samsas' bedroom to break the news to them. Mr. and Mrs. Samsa hop out of bed, and Grete emerges from her bed in the living room. The group stands in Gregor's doorway, watching the cleaning woman poke him with the broom again. Mr. Samsa says now they can "give thanks to God" (46) and the four cross themselves. Grete notices how thin Gregor had become, having "eaten nothing for such a long time" (46). 

Mr. Samsa asks Grete and Mrs. Samsa to come into their bedroom a moment. The lodgers emerge from their room and "grumpily" (46) ask the cleaning woman for breakfast. She hushes them and points to Gregor's room. The lodgers huddle in Gregor's doorway, regarding his corpse. 

Mr. Samsa reappears, with Mrs. Samsa on one arm and Grete on the other. He tells the lodgers to get out of the apartment "immediately" (47). The lodgers play dumb, but Mr. Samsa insists they leave. The three men take their hats and canes and leave. Mr. Samsa, Mrs. Samsa, and Grete follow them out and watch them descend the apartment's stairs. 

The Samsas decide to take the day for rest and begin to write letters of apology to their respective employers for missing work. The cleaning woman, done with her morning chores, makes to leave but waits, expectantly. The Samsas press her to explain herself and, "smiling so happily she couldn't go on speaking right away" (48), says that she's taken care of the "rubbish from the next room" (48). She begins to explain herself in detail, but Mr. Samsa cuts her off and sends her away. She leaves, upset, and Mr. Samsa says he'll fire her that evening. 

After finishing their letters, the Samsas leave their apartment together for the first time in months. They board an "electric tram" (48) and ride in comfort, basking in the sunlight. They discuss their "future prospects" (48), which they discover are good: they are all gainfully employed and, since Gregor's death, are now free to find a smaller, more suitable apartment. Mr. and Mrs. Samsa become struck by Grete's beauty and maturity, realizing that it's now time to "seek out a good honest man for her" (48).