Comparative Analysis Essay

Comparative Analysis

Franz Kafka's text of the “Metamorphosis” shows Gregor as the provider of the family, although he transforms into an insect, he later is unable to work. His father is forced to get a job to provide for the family (which should have been his job already). Peter Kuper's film of the “Metamorphosis” shows how Gregor is treated and ignored by his family because of his transformation into an insect (half insect half human in the film)... 

Gender roles are visible in the modern world. Women are supposed to equal the beautiful house wife, as with men equaling the support beam. But in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, the characters aren't portraying the modernized role of women and men. However, the film and the text differ in gender roles. The text illustrates Gregor's sister, Grete, to be helpful around the house... cooking, cleaning, etc. for Gregor. But the film shows her doing little to nothing to help her brother after his transformation. The mother seems worried about her son in the film. With the text, the mother doesn't seem very caring about her son. It's amazing how the roles differ in the two. Some scenes within the film are very similar to the illustration of the text.

The sister, Grete, still refuses to believe Gregor is her brother since his transformation. She believes he will be the death of the family if he stays any longer. The father goes through an outrage and throws apples at Gregor out of anger. Each of these is similar within the text and the film. People always say that the book or written version is always better than the movie. Well, that also applies to this comparative analysis. The text written by Franz Kafka illustrates more than the film by Peter Kuper. The characteristics and roles of each character seem to be more realistic in the text. Although, the text doesn’t tell us that Gregor transformed into a half human half insect. But in the film it shows Gregor as a half human half insect.

Peter Kuper’s version of “Metamorphosis” seems played out. Many different versions and short films have been released to show the transformation of Gregor but none of them cover the full story of Gregor in “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka.