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The office manager is a strict, overbearing boss who employs Gregor and facilitates an oppressive workplace environment. Though he does not treat his employees with respect, they cannot step out of line without risking their jobs. Gregor tolerates this mistreatment for the sake of job security so that he may support his family. Through Gregor, Kafka captures the image of the ordinary worker who commits to a miserable job in order to earn enough money on which to live. The irony is that their life then revolves around a job they despise. In this way, Kafka uses Gregor and the office manager to craft a meaningful critique of capitalism and its dehumanization of the average worker. The office manager constantly reduces Gregor to a means of labor and minimizes his humanity. When Gregor first wakes up as a bug, one of his first instincts is to dwell on his inevitable late arrival to work and the office manager's subsequent outrage, demonstrating the absurdity of Gregor’s imbalanced priorities and, therefore, the absurdity of capitalism.
The office manager's reaction to Gregor's absence showcases a complete lack of empathy and the fact that he prioritizes business production over the well-being of his employees. He is so angered by Gregor's tardiness that he arrives at Gregor's flat and demands an explanation. He shows no signs of sympathy and declares that “if we people in commerce ever become slightly unwell then, fortunately or unfortunately as you like, we simply have to overcome it because of business considerations.” Furthering the idea that Gregor was dehumanized by his employer even before his transformation, the office manager shows no concern for Gregor's health. Instead, he angrily informs Gregor in front of his parents that he has been accused of mishandling money and that his job is at risk.
The office manager's reaction to Gregor's transformation is also key. He reacts with immediate horror and disgust and leaves the flat in a panic, illustrating the way that Gregor's metamorphosis will go on to isolate him, completely disconnecting him from family, work, and humanity in general.
