Literature paper #2 - Essay Example

A sensible reading of the text would reveal Gregors metamorphosis as a metaphor of the modern society where people have become quite alienated, burdened with familial responsibilities and obligations, neurotic, and lack understanding, love, or communion. Twentieth-century modernist images of metamorphosis, on the other hand, lead us to question not only the boundaries of man’s relationship with nature and the supernatural, but the very status of humanity itself, transformed into the monstrous.

Gregors metamorphosis is governed by uncontrollable factors that cause both physical and mental changes in his personality. No doubt, Gregors tragedy stems from his strong sense of familial obligation and responsibilities; his subsequent guilt due to his inability to fulfill his responsibilities turns him into a bug and this metamorphosis brings about drastic changes in the gender roles and sibling relations.Gregor’s metamorphosis underlines that man’s existence is absurd and meaningless and that human nature is essentially monstrous.

His transformation is more inward than physical; it is Kafka’s inner conviction that human nature is inevitably monstrous and meaningless that makes him to depict Grgor’s character as animalistic, and the only possible escape for Gregor is to succumb to the ultimate reality-death. In Metamorphosis, one experiences man’s inner struggle and longing to survive in a world where one cannot find any sort of solace. Everyone seeks his/her existence and is likely to get disillusioned and desperate when things go beyond one’s comprehension and control.

Even though the metamorphosis of Gregor sounds to be supernatural and beyond human comprehension, the touching story of Gregor’s misfortunes points to the meaninglessness of human life; man is incapable of fighting the supernatural elements and the essential monstrous human nature that unleashes itself in such turbulent