Essay on Fear of Intimacy in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

I am kind of a paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy. ~ J.D. Salinger During the course of Kafka’s novella, The Metamorphosis, we see in Gregor Samsa a man who fears the concept of intimacy—most notably with members of the opposite sex. It is important for us to contrast the commonly accepted definition of intimacy against that of Gregor’s. The popular definition deals with the mark of a close association between two parties, may it consist of a physical or emotional connection. Gregor’s definition seems to be a polar opposite to the conventional one; or more simply, he feels the closest connection to the women he can maintain a sizable distance from. We come to a better understanding of Gregor’s†¦show more content†¦We can come to this understanding by examining the ostensibly â€Å"intimate† relationship that Gregor has with his sister, Grete. We are told that prior to his metamorphosis, â€Å"with his sister alone had he remained intimate† (95).* The reader would be quick to assume that the u sage of the word â€Å"intimate† implies our conventional definition, which deals with the close and personal bond that two people can share. Our quote has a layer of duplicity to it because of the fact that it assumes Gregor’s point of view concerning the relationship; therefore, we are going to accept Gregor’s definition of â€Å"intimate† rather than the conventional definition. His definition can be clarified when we look at Grete’s reaction to Gregor clinging onto the picture frame: â€Å"‘Gregor!’ cried his sister, shaking her fist and glaring at him. This was the first time she had directly addressed him since his metamorphosis† (106). Grete does not strike us as someone who had ever maintained an intimate relationship with Gregor due to her lack of compassion for his dire situation. Rather than assuming a sympathetic tone with a flustered Gregor, she â€Å"shak[es] her fist and glar[es] at him.† It seems peculiar for her to act in this manner if they did, in fact, share an â€Å"intimate† bond. She makes no attempt to relate to him, but rather, she alienates him even further. Oddly enough, when she calls him by name, we are told that â€Å"this was the first time she had