“This is not a cockroach”
This week in class we viewed and discussed Surrealist art its relationship to Existentialism. Both philosophical movements stress the importance of individuals creating meaning for themselves. The Surrealist painting The Betrayal of Images, by Rene Magritte, clearly depicts a pipe. However, the paraodox truly lies within the work, as the words ”This is not a pipe” are written directly under the image. The famous “This is not a pipe” lesson reminds viewers that meaning is individual (Susan’s blue might be different from Jose’s blue). In regards to Kafka’s Metamorphosis, most literary critics agree that Gregor Samsa has not literally transformed into a giant cockroach. So, what is wrong with Gregor? Perhaps that is up to each individual reader to decide for him or herself. In class, we discussed multiple possibilities such as the following: Gregor is mentally insane and/or has psychological issues, Gregor is treated as an outsider in Prague due to his Jewish heritage, Gregor’s family isolates him or locks him up, Gregor has a physical illness or condition such as tuberculosis, Gregor is having a dream, Gregor is on drugs, or Gregor has a poor relationship with his family. Write a blog post that clearly explains one possible explanation for what the giant cockroach could symbolize. Be sure to back up your ideas with textual evidence and specific details!
