The Metamorphosis

what does Gregors father reveal about the familys financial status?

- why would he say that ?

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From listening to conversations, Gregor discovers that his family doesn't eat much. His father explained the financial situation to the family, and would occasionally use money he had saved from his old business, which had collapsed. Gregor had not known about this money. When his father's business has fallen apart, he had thrown himself into his work and advanced in his job so as to be able to provide for his family. He remembers those times happily, but also recalls that after the initial happiness, the family became used to having him provide for them. He retained a strong bond only with his sister, and wanted to use the money he made to send her to the Conservatory to study the violin.the family had also saved a good deal of Gregor's salary that had been put aside. Gregor knows that he could have used the money to pay off the debt to his chief and leave his job earlier, but he agrees that his father's planning was best since it now left the family with some money. It was not enough to live on for more than two years at most, and should be reserved for an emergency. Every time money is mentioned, Gregor feels extremely ashamed.

Source(s)

http://www.gradesaver.com/the-metamorphosis/study-guide/section2/

His father is explaining why the family needs money......... what they have won't last forever; Gregor had been a mainstay in helping his family financially. Obviously, this has changed.

"On the first day of his transformation, his father gave a lengthy explanation of their financial situation. Apparently they aren't so bad off. When his father's business collapsed, there was still a little money remaining, and it's been gathering interest. This news was a pleasant surprise to Gregor, who thought they had been completely ruined. He remembered the early days when he rose from the position of clerk to salesman, supporting his family with his earnings.

His father also explained that Gregor's earnings weren't all used up to support the family's living expenses, but had gone into the family's savings. Of course, this money could have gone into paying off the family's debt to Gregor's employer and Gregor could have quit sooner. But given his present circumstances, Gregor is glad his father had saved the money.

But the savings aren't enough to support the family beyond a year or two. The family needs to find employment, even though the father's obese, the mother's asthmatic, and the sister a little air-headed."

Source(s)

http://www.shmoop.com/metamorphosis/part-2-summary.html