I don't think anyone can deny that there are a LOT of examples of the number three (which normally represents the Trinity) in Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Here are all of the examples I could find:
-3 parts to the novella
-3 doors to Gregor's room
-3 members of Gregor's family
-3 boarders
-3 servants (the cook, maid, and charwoman)
-3 weapons are used against Gregor by his father (the newspaper, cane, and apples)
-Gregor dies at 3 a.m.
However, the purpose of using groups of threes is unclear. Kafka himself was Jewish, so it seems odd that he would include so many references to the Trinity in this work unless he was simply doing it to appeal to his mainly Christian audience. On the other hand, Kafka didn't have a lot of time to publish his work during his lifetime (although The Metamorphosis was released while he was alive), and it doesn't seem that he was writing to please an audience other than himself. In his lecture on The Metamorphosis, Nabokov says that we shouldn't read too much into any religious symbols or aspects of the novella because he is familiar with Kafka and believes that it wasn't his intention to write a religious story.
Maybe three was just Kafka's favorite number? Why do y'all think Kafka used so many threes?
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I agree with Jessie in noticing that the presence of Christian imagery in The Metamorphosis is significant. It is important to reflect on the Christian imagery that was present in other works throughout our studies in English this year as well since understanding comes from the discussion-based environment we've had in conjunction with pieces of literature. The most important, clear example of such works is Dante's Inferno. Inferno is full of Christian and Trinitarian imagery, and it is most definitely a testament to how timeless such devices are.
Ugh, I'm sorry! I meant Lainey! Great work.
I am glad you point this out, Lainey because I have honestly been wondering the significance of the number three. It didn't make sense when we mentioned in class the relation to the Trinity, which Gabby has pointed out was a very telling symbol in Dante's Inferno. However, I would have to disagree there is any religious aspect to the number 3 in Kafka's Metamorphosis considering his background during the time. I do not think he was trying to conform to his audience but possibly use a symbol to mock them as during this time Christianity was the majority religion in Prague. I agree he was not writing to please anyone except for himself, so it is possible this was just a tiny aspect of an overall story meant to convey the problems of a larger society during this time.
I agree with Farah, I don’t think Kafka was trying to make a religious connection here because like she said he grew up Jewish. I also think he was doing it to please a Christian audience but also because the repetition of 3s is so common in works of literature that it’s no surprise if that is found in any story.
So I did some research into why 3 is so special (besides all the Christian imagery) and it turns out the number has been significant since the times of Ancient Greece! According to Pythagoras, three is "expressive of beginning, middle, and end." You can also reference the 3 major gods of Greek mythology, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. an is also seen to be a "three-fold' of body, soul, and spirit. This could definitely relate to the Metamorphosis as in the 1st section we see his physical transformation, and the latter 2 are centered around the mental transformation of his family.
sources: https://bookofthrees.com/pythagoras-three-is-the-perfect-number/
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