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Franz Kafka’s theme of isolation is very thick in this novel. Driven – by himself and by the needs of others – to work at a job he hates, Gregor is in fact a very lonely, remote individual. Before his “metamorphosis” Gregor’s isolation was apparent mostly in his occupation and stature in society: he was appreciated by his family and mostly adored by his sister, Grete. After he finds himself turned into a bug, Gregor’s isolation expands as he begins to accrue the resen
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This small book is the story of an unfortunate man who finds himself in a horrible place – precisely where he had always been. While the protagonist of the story awakes one morning to be entirely different, he really has not at all changed. The book is small and divided into three sections.
Metamorphosis contains quite a few interesting literary devices. It seems as if Kafka has transformed Gregor – suffering from his own internal self-hindrance and lack of ambition –into a symbolically lowly by Kafka because he has lost all drive, ambition, and hope. He had always played the underdog, the one to be taken advantage of. Irony is one in particular that Kafka uses to strike heavily. The “metamorphosis” referred to in the title takes place – ironically – not in the protagonist who has become a giant roach. tment and disgust of others closer around him. Gregor’s father is at times violent, and Kafka treats any negative reaction to Gregor with a certain amount of cold indifference. Initially after the change, Gregor’s family – including his mother – are close to him, in grief or even disgust. This includes Grete, the sister who he so dearly loves.
Kafka’s tone in this novel is decidedly calm.
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