Yellow Wall Paper

Beth Bodenstein
Intro to fiction
3/1/2011

This paper will examine the concept of time and how it is portrayed in Gilman’s the yellow wallpaper and Kafka’s the metamorphosis.
The passage of time on the clock face in kakas the metamorphosis is echoed by the changes taking place outside, as morning fog gives way to clear light, something Gregor notes as the previously hidden hospital across the street comes into view.
Time, also symbolizes the capitalist order in which time is money and is thus valuable, Gregor hates his job, he wants nothing more then to tell his boss how he feels and quit. However he cannot do this because he knows that his family depends on his job to support them.
Oversleeping is considered to be a crime because by oversleeping one misses business and thus wastes money. Gregor's mother, speaking with the chief clerk, notes that Gregor thinks of nothing but work and never goes out in the evening. This shows the extent to which the rule of the modern economy weighs down on Gregor: time that is not spent working is useless time, and any activity that is not work is pointless.
Gregor is so stuck on time that it causes him to lose sight of everything else, and ultimately alienates him self from society and from him family. He wishes nothing more then to quit his job, which he has admitted on more then one occasion that he hates. When his metamorphosis occurs, he finally has the chance to quit the job he so desperately wants to leave.
However time is portrayed as moving to fast. After Gregor’s transformation he gets lost in him self. Gregor feels guilty for the time he has lost with his family, time has moved to fast for him and his family has ultimately moved on without him. Causing him to wish he could back to time before this change had a occurred and taken over his life. [continues]

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