In The Foreigner by Albert Camus and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, both writers utilize the supporter ‘s distinguishable characteristic and cardinal subject to arouse understanding in the readers for Gregor Samsa and Meursault, which will be explored in a deeper context in the essay. Both supporters have their ain characters which defines them as a individual. Readers will be full with sympathy cognizing that the supporters ‘ bad lucks were a consequence of their characters. Subjects are used to show thoughts and are employed by writers as a literary device to convey forth basic elements in any narrative. The chief subject in both books bring into light the more important context of what the narrative focuses on, hence pulling the readers closer to presiding events which affects the supporter, and finally brings Forth the understanding we feel.
The Outsider commences with the decease of Meursault ‘s female parent, and the analysis of his character in a reaction to this event elevates Meursault ‘s indifference which is apparent in the full class of the novel. He mentions “Mother died today. Or possibly yesterday, I do n’t cognize, ” ( p9 ) showing his withdrawal from the universe he lives in as occasions such as the decease of loved 1s which are regarded of utmost importance by others seem instead undistinguished to him. Furthermore, his female parent ‘s friends were “gloomy and silent” ( p9 ) and cried over her death— a blunt contrast to his actions of neither casting a tear at the funeral nor paying his respects at her grave before go forthing. This displays how he is unaffected by his female parent ‘s decease, uncovering his apathy as he does non look to trouble oneself about his female parent ‘s decease and merely accepts it.
When Meursault kills an Arab he is adjudicated non for his slaying, but for “burying his female parent like a heartless criminal” ( p93 ) after detecting he was basking and holding merriment on the twenty-four hours after his female parent ‘s decease. As it is common for people to mourn for the loss of a loved one, the deficiency of concern he has towards his female parent ‘s decease differ from the societal norms. Meursault was punished for his insensitiveness as the Prosecutor talked about Meursault ‘s attitude towards his female parent “much longer” ( p98 ) than “about his crime” ( p98 ) . He was tried for non showing declinations or demoing emotions during the test merely because he did non experience any of it, remaining true throughout even if it affected his destiny. Therefore, this elicits understanding in readers as he in incapable of associating to others, conveying how his unconcern led to his ruin as the test placed a exclusive focal point on his character alternatively of the offense he committed.
In The Metamorphosis, Gregor ‘s selfless character is illustrated from the really beginning of the novelette, portraying how he hates his “grueling job” ( p3 ) as a going salesman, sing the “torture of traveling, worrying about altering trains, eating suffering nutrient at all hours” ( p4 ) when he really desired to discontinue a long clip ago. Yet, Gregor merely has his occupation in head as he has no purpose of allowing his household down. More notably, despite his agonies he sacrifices his clip and freedom of pick abundantly by go oning with his occupation which he loathes so much merely to supply his household with “such a life in so nice an apartment” ( p21 ) and to pay off his parents ‘ debt.
Sadly, when he transforms into a varmint, his household repays his devotedness by pretermiting him, and “swallow their disgust and endure him” ( p38 ) . His household feels the demand put up with the revolting sight of Gregor and bear with his varmint signifier, therefore exposing their ingratitude. Gregor is no longer of any usage “since his transmutation forces him to remain in his room” He finally dies from the guilt of burthening his household because of his inability to supply for them and besides because he lost his concluding nexus to his family— Grete, his sister and closest household member—when she agrees Gregor is onerous. Hence, we sympathize for him as Gregor is neither thanked nor apprehended for his selfless Acts of the Apostless, but alternatively shunned by his family— his natural beginning of love and support.
The impression that Gregor and Meursault suffer the same destiny of being neither emotionally nor socially involved with their households or with others, and decease lonely is similar for both supporters. Therefore, it engenders our understanding for Gregor as he sacrifices so much but his actions are non repaid with kindness and is isolated from his household, while Meursault ‘s ruin was a effect of his indifference.
The cardinal subject Camus conveys is the nonsense of human life. For Meursault, there is no intent in life and merely one definite thing—the inevitableness of death—as portrayed in The Outsider. Meursault realizes that everyone has to decease in the terminal, either from old age or by executing. He so concludes that he, like everyone else, is of no farther importance, “Given that you ‘ve got to decease, it evidently does n’t count precisely how or when, ” ( p109 ) hence pulling that life is worthless. After speaking to the chaplain, approaching the clip of his decease, Meursault realizes that he had been happy, and “was still happy” ( p117 ) when he sees decease as being ineluctable by anyone one time he eventually grasps the construct of decease as a portion of human life. Therefore, we can show sympathy with Meursault as his position and significance of life are both really pessimistic. He does non look to appreciate life as a approval, but sees it in such a negative visible radiation which will do life non deserving life and taken for granted.
Whereas, the chief subject Kafka expresses in The Metamorphosis is alteration. Gregor experiences a physical alteration when he “wakes up one forenoon from fazing dreams” ( p3 ) to happen himself “changed in bed into a monstrous vermin” ( p3 ) . His voice besides undergoes a alteration to “the voice of an animal” ( p12 ) . His transmutation into a varmint alienated him from his household as he could no longer pass on or be seen by them. After Gregor ‘s physical alteration, it triggers the mistreatment he receives from his household. We sympathize with him as the alterations happening to Gregor were unwanted for him, despite holding done nil incorrect.
This alteration experienced by his household subsequent to Gregor ‘s metabolism brought about his rejection by them, since he is unable to work to run into his household ‘s demands and to supply for them. Alternatively, he had to be taken attention of by his household, and overtime, they bit by bit disregarded Gregor, angering him with the “miserable treatment” ( p41 ) he was given in return. Bing the sole breadwinner, Gregor ‘s household had to larn how to be autonomous and fling their dependance on him by geting occupations. By the terminal of the novelette, after Gregor ‘s decease, his household found life “especially promising, ” ( p55 ) portraying the optimism and hope they saw in their hereafter without Gregor. Therefore, we sympathize with Gregor as he worked so difficult to offer his household a comfy life ; nevertheless his transmutation into a varmint proved that his household treated him as a payroll check to supply for their demands, seeing as how they neglected him when he needed assist the most.
The subject of life being nonmeaningful slightly applies to Gregor ‘s life as he has nil deserving life for, as consequence of giving so much, and non populating his ain life as one should be making. Yet, he continues to persist for the interest of his household who in bend become unappreciative of his duteous actions and avoids him after his metabolism. This causes us to sympathise as the alteration seen in both characters led to their eventual deceases, and a similar thought in which life becomes null as there is no longer anything deserving life for, either by populating life as non how you want it to be or the realisation that the lone thing one can acquire from life is decease.
Through both writers ‘ usage of word picture and cardinal subject expressed, readers will derive a deep penetration of how the supporters are led to their deceases. Gregor ‘s transmutation into a varmint was unfavourable as it made his household members shun him, after all his difficult work and attempt he altruistically put in to supply them with a comfy life style. This conveys how his unconditioned love for his household goes unnoticed ; hence it evokes our understanding for him as his sort actions are disregarded. Gregor ‘s metabolism renders a alteration in his household ‘s attitude towards him and dependance gained by his household members. While Meursault ‘s offense made others judge him for his indifference and incapableness of associating to others, therefore playing a important function in his decease as he was tried entirely for his attitude towards his female parent ‘s decease and terrible deficiency of emotions. This engenders our understanding for him as he is barren of human feelings from the really beginning of the novel, and this character led to his decease sentence.
Bibliography
Camus, Albert. The Outsider. Great Britain: Hamish Hamilton, 2000.
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004.
Riding, Alan. “Camus ‘s Last Work, a First Draft, Shows His Life and His Style” April 26, 1994. Albert Camus News-The New York Times. URL: & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nytimes.com/1994/04/26/books/camus-s-last-work-a-first-draft-shows-his-life-and-his-style.html & gt ; .
Nervi, Mauro. “The Kafka Project” 24 January, 2010. Uniform resource locator: & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.kafka.org/index.php? life & gt ; .
Cuizon, Gwendolyn. “Franz Kafka The Metamorphosis Gregor ‘s Transformation” 13 February, 2009
Uniform resource locator: & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //americanfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/franz_kafkas_the_metamorphosis # ixzz0dPCAP7kj & gt ; [ 2 January, 2010 ]
