The Metamorphosis Life as a Bugman Essay Example For Students

The Metamorphosis: Life as a Bugman Essay In Franz Kafkas fanciful novel The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find that he as been transformed into a beetle. As the story progresses, we can see that Gregors life as a beetle is not all that different from Gregors life while in human form. Because of this we have to ask ourselves Does Gregor Samsa qualify as a human being? I believe that Gregor does not qualify as a human being and had stopped being truly human long before his metamorphosis. Writers and philosophers throughout history have pondered on what it means to be human. One of the most famous, Rn Descartes, declared Cogito, ergo sum I think therefore I am. But does Gregor meet this criterion; does he think? From the very beginning of the story Gregor emits a certain perpetual calm, his emotions never straying from a composed tranquility. Instead of being astonished or troubled by his transformation, Gregor wants to sleep again for a while and forget all this stupidity (Kafka p.201), as though suddenly turning into a bug doesnt disturb him at all. He only begins to worry when he realizes he is late for work. Gregor truly hates his job, even admitting that it is degrading (Kafka p.202), yet he stays in his miserable position in order to support his whole family and to get them out of debt. We will write a custom essay on The Metamorphosis: Life as a Bugman specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Each month Gregor willingly hands over his paycheque to the waiting hands of his family, the action accompanied by no remarkable effusiveness, (Kafka p.219) as though the family expects and even demands Gregors selflessness. The Samsas eat leisurely breakfasts and take naps in the afternoon while their son is out working an extremely stressful job to support them, instead of a family of his own. In fact Gregor has no social life, staying alone in his room every evening. His only companion is a framed picture of a beautiful woman, and he values it so much that it is the first thing that he wants to salvage when his sister attempts to remove the furniture from his room. Thus we can see that Gregor is alienated in every aspect of his life, even in his own house where he always locks the doors of his bedroom, as if in a hotel (Kafka p. 203). To most human beings this situation would be close to intolerable, yet Gregor seems to have relatively little to say about it. Throughout the story Gregor expresses no strong emotion about his family, his work, or his life in general. In fact, he engages in almost no personal introspection, a quality that we associate with being human. So we can say that Gregors metamorphosis seems just like a logical metaphorical progression in Gregors life. The people around him already treated him like a bug, and Gregor was unfalteringly faithful, like a worker drone. After his transformation, Gregors family continues to treat him horribly, locking him alone in his room. Under the pretext of helping him, Gregors sister Grete, brings him rotten food to eat and removes the furniture from his room, further dehumanizing him. And by the end of the story Gregor lives in perpetual dust and grime, for no one in the Samsa family has the time or the patience to clean the room of the person they once called brother and son. Yet Gregor, though only a bug, is faithful and loving towards his family till the end, relishing every contact with them, such as when his sister plays the violin. But, over the months, the Samsa family grows more and more disgusted with Gregors presence till once evening Grete breaks down, crying We must find a way to get rid of it it must go! (Kafka p.238/239) Gregor, finally realizing that no one has ever or will ever treat him with any respect, love, or kindness, painfully crawls back into his room and dies completely alone. .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .postImageUrl , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:hover , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:visited , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:active { border:0!important; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:active , .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8f04ccb3469baa472329eb243e70d95a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Western Era Essay When he hears of Gregors death, Gregors father, who has long since stopped treating Gregor like a human being, let alone his son, proclaims We can thank god for that! (Kafka p.241) And the Samsa family, now rid of the horrible stain that was Gregor, gaily goes .

Maryland Colony History and Timeline

Maryland Colony History and Timeline The Province of Maryland- also known as the Maryland Colony- was founded in 1632 as a safe haven for English Catholics fleeing anti-Catholic persecution in Europe. The colony was established by Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (also known as Lord Baltimore), who also governed the Colony of Newfoundland and the Province of Avalon. The Maryland Colonys first settlement was St. Marys City, which was built along the Chesapeake Bay. It was the first settlement in the New World to guarantee religious freedom for all Trinitarian Christians. Fast Facts: Maryland Colony The Maryland Colony was founded in 1632 after its charter was approved by King Charles I. It was a proprietary colony of Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore.Like other settlements in the New World, the Maryland Colony was established as a religious refuge. Although it was created as a haven for English Catholics, many of the original settlers were Protestants.In 1649, Maryland passed the Maryland Toleration Act, the first law in the New World designed to encourage religious tolerance. Who Founded Maryland? The idea for an English colony along the Chesapeake Bay where Catholics could live and worship in peace came from  George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. In 1632, he received a charter from King Charles I to found a colony east of the Potomac River. That same year, Lord Baltimore died, and the charter was given to his son, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. The first settlers of the Maryland Colony included a mix of about 200 Catholics and Protestants who had been promised land grants; they arrived on the ships the Ark and the Dove. A stamp depicting the Ark and the Dove. traveler1116 / Getty Images Why Was Maryland Founded? Following the Protestant Reformation, Europe experienced a series of religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries. In England, Catholics faced widespread discrimination; for example, they were not allowed to hold public office, and in 1666 they were blamed for the Great Fire of London. The first Lord Baltimore, a proud Catholic, envisioned the Maryland Colony as a place where English people would have religious freedom. He also wished to found the colony for economic gain. Sir Anthony Van Dycks painting of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria. Heritage Images  / Getty Images The new colony was named Maryland in honor of Henrietta Maria, the queen consort of Charles I. George Calvert had previously been involved in a settlement in Newfoundland but, finding the land inhospitable, hoped this new colony would be a financial success. Charles I, for his part, was to be given a share of the income that the new colony created. The first governor of the colony was Cecil Calverts brother, Leonard. Interestingly, although the Maryland Colony was ostensibly founded as a refuge for Catholics, only 17 of the original settlers were Catholic. The rest were Protestant indentured servants. The settlers arrived at St. Clements Island on March 25, 1634, and founded St. Marys City. They became heavily involved in the cultivation of tobacco, which was their primary cash crop along with wheat and corn. Over the next 15 years, the number of Protestant settlers steadily increased, and there was fear that religious liberty would be taken away from the Catholic population. The Act of Toleration was passed in 1649 by  Governor William Stone to protect those who believed in Jesus Christ. However, this act was repealed in 1654 when outright conflict occurred and the Puritans took control of the colony. Lord Baltimore actually lost his proprietary rights and it was some time before his family was able to regain control of Maryland. Anti-Catholic actions occurred in the colony all the way up until the 18th century. However, with an influx of Catholics into Baltimore, laws were once again created to help protect against religious persecution. Timeline June 20, 1632: King Charles I grants a charter for the Maryland Colony.March 25, 1634: The first group of settlers, led by Leonard Calvert, reach St. Clements Island in the Potomac River. They established St. Marys City, the first Maryland settlement.1642: The people of the Maryland Colony go to war against the Susquehannock  Indians; fighting will continue until the two groups sign a peace treaty in 1652.1649: Maryland passes the Maryland Toleration Act, which guarantees religious freedom to all Trinitarian Christians within the colony. A historical marker for the Mason–Dixon Line. PhilAugustavo  / Getty Images 1767: A border dispute between Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware results in the drawing of the Mason–Dixon line, which marks Marylands northern and eastern borders.1776: Maryland joins the rest of the 13 American colonies in a revolution against England.September 3, 1783: The American Revolution officially comes to a close with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.April 28, 1788: Maryland becomes the seventh state to be admitted to the United States.