There is something about wearing a uniform that makes a man feel invincible and demands respect from those around him. When times are tough, people tend to turn to the man in uniform for advice and help them through a difficult situation. This is evident in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, when Mr. Samsa returns home from work one day in a brand-new uniform and finds his wife and daughter ready to answer his every call. As the uniform becomes increasingly worn and frayed, the family dynamic at home begins to change. However, Mr. Samsa isn't the only family member who feels the power of a uniform. For a brief moment, while remembering his past, Gregor conjures up memories of a happier time when he wore the uniform of a lieutenant in the army. Through Gregor and Mr. Samsa, Kafka demonstrates that men can hold positions of power without uniform, but that they will only feel proud, dignified, and command respect if they wear their uniform. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay While Mr. Samsa was out of work, he felt degraded and completely useless. Mr. Samsa was supposed to be the man of the house, but it was difficult for him to assume this position when Gregor was the sole breadwinner. With Gregor out of commission, all that changes. Mr. Samsa gets a job that requires him to wear “an elegant blue uniform with gold buttons,” a “high, stiff collar,” and a “cap with [a] gold monogram probably from a bank” (30). . This uniform assures Mr. Samsa that he is responsible for the household without having to thank anyone for anything. While the uniform empowers Mr. Samsa, he commits his cruelest and most merciless act against Gregor: throwing an apple at him and lodging it in its shell. This vicious act makes all members of the family fear Mr. Samsa. Gregor runs away to his room while Grete screams in fear. Yet it is Mrs. Samsa's reaction that best demonstrates the power a uniform can give a man. Mrs. Samsa “pushes herself towards [her husband], her arms around him, uniting herself totally with him… her hands behind [Mr. Samsa's head] begging him to spare Gregor's life” (31). The fact that Mrs. Samsa must beg with her husband demonstrates the total domination that Mr. Samsa now exercises over her. Samsa's sense of authority deteriorates rapidly. He refuses to take off his uniform even when he is at home. As Gregor notes, his “father slept where he was, fully dressed, as if always ready to serve and expecting to hear the voice of his superior,” which leaves him stained and shabby (32). When a ruler becomes too powerful, it is common for people to want to usurp his throne, and the deterioration of the uniform shows that this is exactly what is happening to Mr. Samsa. The boarders who moved into Samsa and Grete's apartment begin to compete with Mr. Samsa for power shortly after Mr. Samsa's uniform begins to deteriorate. Grete eventually takes all of Mr. Samsa's power after Gregor scares away the three boarders. As Grete demands that the family get rid of Gregor, Mr. Samsa begins “playing with his uniform cap between the plates left by the three gentlemen” (39). The fact that Mr. Samsa is playing with the cap instead of putting it on shows that he is no longer in a comfortable position of power. Being treated like a servant in his own home and being told what to do by his daughter made Mr. Samsa lose some of the pride and dignity that wearing his..