Alienation In The Metamorphosis, By Franz Kafka

It is said that no man is an island, and no man stands alone. Meaning, true human existence cannot prevail positively or productively without the dynamics of society. Yet, this concept is very much two faced. While a man needs to exist in society, cocooning himself in its support and sense of belonging, too much social pressure can lead to the most disastrous endings and as society remains blind of the influences of the world, its ideals destroy humanity. Hence, if one does not conform, they become a social outcast, excluded and excommunicated from the very aspect of life. The theme alienation in a small society is depicted primarily through social surroundings and physical or emotional disabilities by authors such as Franz Kafka and Willa …show more content…
As illustrated in “The Metamorphosis,” Kafka demonstrates how alienation begins and develops in a society by creating a series of characters as a representation of society as a whole. Using Gregor’s chief clerk to demonstrate the …show more content…
The company Gregor Samsa is forced to work at illustrates the hierarchical effect of alienation, where the initiation of isolationism begins at the top of the hierarchy and thus creates a ripple effect down through the rest of society. One day, when waking up as an insect and being late for work, Gregor has broken his conformity to the parameters of what is tolerated by the company, so the manager himself comes to deal with the issue since such circumstances can “only be entrusted to the seniority and trained intelligence of a chief clerk” (Kafka, 949). This, as well as how the family treats the manager as nicely as possible when he arrives demonstrates the importance of the manager’s decisions and their respect for authority. Further demonstrating the importance of his decisions, the manager is the first to react to Gregor’s transformation by threatening, “your performances of late have been extremely unsatisfactory” (951) when Gregor will not