Introduction
Among the most captivating pieces of literature is The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. The story was published in 1915 and follows Gregor Samsa, who wakes one day to find himself transformed into an insect (Farahmandian & Haonong, 2018; Puchner et al., 2021). Gregor works as a traveling salesman and provides for his family, which consists of him, his sister Grete, and their parents, Herr and Frau Samsa.
Gregor is not fond of his demanding job, but he cannot quit because his position allows him to support his relatives and pay off his father’s debt. Therefore, when Gregor views his new form, his initial concern is that he is unable to attend work and ensure financial stability for the household that relies on him (Puchner et al., 2021). The Metamorphosis presents a theme of alienation, reflected in Gregor’s being disregarded by his family and colleagues.
Alienation in the Novel
An indication of The Metamorphosis‘s emphasis on alienation is how those around Gregor react to his transformation. Notably, alienation can be explained as “a loss of human connection” (Mukhopadhyay, 2019, p. 38). For example, upon seeing him, Gregor’s mother appears speechless and faints, while his father acts hostile and holds a stick for defense. For the rest of the story, Gregor’s family primarily keeps him isolated in one room and avoids coming close to him. Similarly, the general manager, who comes to the Samsa home to check on Gregor after he misses work, is scared and retreats after witnessing him (Puchner et al., 2021).
As a result, Gregor’s transformation into an insect suggests to others that he is a stranger and should be kept at a distance (Hung, 2013). Nonetheless, Gregor maintains his mind and does not intend harm, believing he should “assist his family in enduring the inconveniences” of his new state (Puchner et al., 2021, p. 1007). Accordingly, Gregor becomes alienated, as people do not perceive his appearance as human and cannot sustain a connection with him.
Another sign of The Metamorphosis exploring the alienation theme is the Samsa family emotionally distancing themselves from Gregor. In his new body, Gregor cannot communicate with others as they expect him to, leading people to think he does not understand their speech. For instance, Herr Samsa says that “if he (Gregor) understood them, it would be possible to decide how to act in the situation (Puchner et al., 2021, p. 1024). Even Grete, who often visits her brother, never attempts to communicate with him or to determine whether he could be helped (Puchner et al., 2021).
As Gregor loses his ability to use words, there is no “recognition of kinship” regarding him (Hung, 2013, p. 439). Moreover, it seems that Gregor’s relatives believe he has changed both physically and mentally, as evidenced by how they arrange the space around him. The room in which Gregor lives becomes a storage place with no concern for his comfort, suggesting that his body and human subjectivity are neglected (Patoine, 2022; Puchner et al., 2021). Therefore, Gregor is alienated as no one tries to connect with him or cares about his well-being.
An interesting aspect of The Metamorphosis’s theme of alienation is that the protagonist appears estranged from and overlooked by others even before his transformation into an insect. On the one hand, Gregor has few valuable social interactions in his pre-transformation phase (Mukhopadhyay, 2019). For example, Frau Samsa states that her son never goes out and spends his evenings quietly reading the newspaper or studying the timetables (Puchner et al., 2021). On the other hand, Gregor is also not valued by his family, even though he is a human. For instance, he works hard in a position he does not like and spends little on himself, believing that no one else can support his family.
Nevertheless, after the change, Gregor witnesses all three of his closest relatives finding employment and earning money (Puchner et al., 2021). One can argue that the Samsa family, including Gregor, has shunned Gregor’s interests to avoid working themselves. Therefore, alienation in The Metamorphosis appears to be represented through Gregor being distanced and disregarded.
Furthermore, Gregor’s alienation continues in his career. While the protagonist’s general manager refuses to interact with him after Gregor’s transformation, there are signs of a lack of human connection in Gregor’s workplace before the shift (Mukhopadhyay, 2019; Puchner et al., 2021). For instance, Gregor states that those in his position are prejudiced against and disliked by other employees. Moreover, Gregor’s occupation is likely to put him at the center of gossip and complaints that lack a basis, yet would prevent him from defending himself (Puchner et al., 2021). Consequently, Gregor is also alienated from his coworkers because he is detested as a salesperson.
Conclusion
To summarize, The Metamorphosis emphasizes the theme of alienation through the disregard Gregor receives from his family and coworkers. On the one hand, Gregor loses connection with those around him as no one believes him to be a human, both physically and mentally, after he takes the form of an insect. On the other hand, it appears that Gregor had no meaningful connections even before the change, as both his coworkers and his family neglected him and his interests. Overall, The Metamorphosis explores different ways in which one may be alienated.
References
Farahmandian, H., & Haonong, P. (2018). Existential failure in Franz Kafka’s the Metamorphosis. Forum for World Literature Studies, 10(2), 334-341.
Hung, R. (2013). Caring about strangers: A Lingisian reading of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 45(4), 436–447.
Mukhopadhyay, S. (2019). Human connection in the light of the writings of Karl Marx and Amartya Sen: An investigation using Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis and ManikBandyopadhyay’s Ekannoborti. International Journal of Social Quality, 9(2), 35–57.
Patoine, P. L. (2022). The role of empathy in literary reading: From Einfühlung to the neuroscience of embodied cognition, with the example of Kafka’s the Metamorphosis. A Journal of Germanic Studies, 58(1), 11–37.
Puchner, M., Akbari, S., Denecke, W., Fuchs, B., Levine, C., Lewis, P., & Wilson, E. (Eds). (2021). The Norton anthology of world literature: Volume 2. W. W. Norton & Company.