Theme Of Loneliness In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, we see a unique view of a family dynamic and how easily it can change. Gregor Samsa was once the jewel of his family and the sole provider. Once Gregor Samsa’s transformation occurred so did his importance in the family. He went from the most important person in his family to the most useless one. This led to an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Gregor although he was lonely beforehand he did not feel the sting of it because of his family's appreciation and feigned love and once this was gone the loneliness took over. The theme of loneliness makes its first appearance when the realization that something is wrong with Gregor is apparent to the family. The loneliness starts with the change of the family dynamic. On page 16 Gregor’s father urges his son to open the door, but Gregor just says no. This leads to his sister breaking out sobbing in her room. "Then why was she crying? Because he wasn't getting up and wasn't letting the manager in; because he was in danger of …show more content…
When Gregor’s mother stops and realizes that moving his furniture means that they won’t get their old Gregor back she rejects the plan of moving the furniture. “ … isn’t it a fact that by removing the furniture we’re showing that we’re giving up all hope of an improvement and are leaving him to his own resources without any consideration? I think it would be best if we tried to keep the room exactly in the condition in which it was before, so that, when Gregor returns to us, he finds everything unchanged and can forget the intervening time all the more easily.’” (Kafka/Johnston 53, 54) It wasn't until his mother said this that he realized that the moving of the furniture signified the passing of his human life. This was the marker of complete and total isolation to the point where Gregor forgot what it was like to be