All Work and No Play // Emily Otts

     Reading Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", I can only think of how crazy, disgusting, and saddening this story is. The descriptions of Gregor's insect body was enough to gross me out. What really stood out to me was the fact how Gregor was only worried about work. We learn that before he became a large insect, he never went out during evenings to have fun. When the chief clerk comes to check on Gregor, his mother says : " The boy thinks about nothing but his work. It makes me almost cross the way he never goes out in the evening; he's been here all last week and has stayed at home every single evening. He just sits there quietly at the table reading a newspaper or looking through railroad timetables. The only amusement he gets is working with his jigsaw." Gregor does not know what to do with his downtime because he only wanted to work. Even when he becomes a giant insect, he is not concerned about that, instead he worries about getting to work on time. Even months into this new way of living, he longs for his work, imagining taking care of the family's finances, seeing those he worked with again, and being in the hotel rooms for his job. Gregor is too absorbed with work, and becoming a giant bug has forced him to stop, and he cannot deal with that.

    This is a problem I see too often in this world. People become workaholics, constantly putting work above their family, their friends, even their well-being. It is not until something major happens, such as becoming a giant bug, that they are forced to stop. They are let go, their health bottoms out, or some other major events forces all of their life to brake. Most people cannot deal with it. Instead, they may find more work to cope, and they continue to work themselves into a rut. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is only rewarded, even though it can be extremely detrimental to one's health and relationships. Perhaps this story can be used as a warning to those who are all work and no play. Taking rest is important, makes your work even better, and overall makes your life better. All work and no play can possibly turn you into a giant insect. And no one wants to die as a giant insect. 

I commented on Hailey Walsh's and Braylan Stringfellow's posts.