The development of Gregor's feelings in the story is essentially the development of his attempts to adjust to his new life, and the dawning realization that he cannot reconcile his humanity with his new form. At the beginning of "The Metamorphosis," Gregor assumes he can continue to work and provide for his family despite his physical transformation. As the story progresses, he realizes this is an impossibility and his goal turns to reconciling his future with a human brain and insect body. Rather than a return to normalcy, Gregor begins to focus on finding comfort in his new body: he spends time hiding under his sofa, crawling on the walls, and hanging from the ceiling, all while maintaining his human thoughts and emotions. Later, he begins realizing adaptation is impossible and feels himself losing his attachment to humanity, as his family clears the furniture out of his room and makes it apparent that his presence is a burden to them. Gregor's conclusion is that his family would be happier without him, and he dies as a means of providing for his family.
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
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