In Kafka's The Metamorphosis and Camus' The Stranger, characters face psychological difficulties that eventually result in death. Both books provide evidence of a meaningless world to convey the deeper thoughts of the main characters. The pessimistic view of existential literature shows an uncommon way of seeing the world.
             The Metamorphosis has several aspects of containing existential situations. Gregor is trapped in an alienated lifestyle and does not realize the meaninglessness of everything around him until he is transformed into a giant vermin. Parts of his dramatic change are "more of a game than a struggle" at first, but later take a violent turn (pg. 5). Gregor Samsa is a lonely man and his transformation is a result that further proves the lack of love from all areas of his life. He is not alarmed as much by the change as he is frustrated. He worries himself to a panic by needing to "be out of bed completely before the clock strikes seven-fifteen" instead of comprehending the seriousness of what has taken place to his body (pg. 4). Gregor's special world is his room where he spends most of his time before and after the transformation. He especially loves his picture that "showed a lady sitting there upright, bedizened in a fur hat and fur boa" and clearly represents the missing woman in his life (pg. 1). Many items and people have secret or special meanings in the book, including Gregor's sister, Grete. Throughout the story she tries her best to satisfy the new and unusual needs of her altered big brother. She brings him "a whole array of food, all spread out on an old newspaper" and continues to show her unconditional love by moving Gregor's furniture enabling him to climb and crawl (pg. 16). Gregor's father is possibly the character affected most greatly by Gregor's change. His father responds in a terrifying manner, pelting Gregor with apples af...