Gregor Samsa’s life, the main protagonist, in The Metamorphosis mirrors the author Franz Kafka’s life, revealing the modern reality of alienation and suffering, which they both feel cannot be controlled. These two men struggle with companionship, and as a result suffer immensely. The lives of Gregor Samsa and Franz Kafka are unique and not ideal. Their occupations distance themselves from the world; Gregor is a traveling salesmen, and Kafka was a writer and was also interested in law. To add to their loneliness, both Gregor and Kafka suffered from terrible health issues. Their backgrounds increased alienation, a state of isolation caused by an outside source, occupations escalated their remoteness, and their illnesses not only boosted their
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Gregor finds himself changed into a bug, which allows no contact from the outside world, and he did not feel accepted or needed. Gregor says that he, “found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 3). The key word is that he found himself changed. Gregor physically changed, but did not emotionally change. Gregor still has the thoughts of a human, just he did not look like one. Gregor’s family makes him stay in his room, and he is very lonely. The one obligation that Gregor has to do is work, but the one day Gregor does not go to work, Gregor’s boss tells him that ”your job is not the most secure” (Kafka 11). Gregor cannot work or talk to his family which makes Gregor suffer from alienation. To add to his suffering, his family indirectly replaces Gregor with three tenants. Gregor is constantly thinking about two main questions, “Where do I belong”? “Where does man belong”? (Encyclopedia) The tenants enjoy the liberty to do what Gregor used to be able to do, and are very happy with their lives. Gregor realizes that he is missing out on important moments that occur in a person’s life, which the tenants are experiencing in place of
Gregor finds himself changed into a bug, which allows no contact from the outside world, and he did not feel accepted or needed. Gregor says that he, “found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin” (Kafka 3). The key word is that he found himself changed. Gregor physically changed, but did not emotionally change. Gregor still has the thoughts of a human, just he did not look like one. Gregor’s family makes him stay in his room, and he is very lonely. The one obligation that Gregor has to do is work, but the one day Gregor does not go to work, Gregor’s boss tells him that ”your job is not the most secure” (Kafka 11). Gregor cannot work or talk to his family which makes Gregor suffer from alienation. To add to his suffering, his family indirectly replaces Gregor with three tenants. Gregor is constantly thinking about two main questions, “Where do I belong”? “Where does man belong”? (Encyclopedia) The tenants enjoy the liberty to do what Gregor used to be able to do, and are very happy with their lives. Gregor realizes that he is missing out on important moments that occur in a person’s life, which the tenants are experiencing in place of