Kafka's Metamorphosis Essay

Kafka throughout Metamorphosis shows key examples of the life of Gregor and how it's filled himself with alienation. Alienation is brought out in both Kafka's writings The Metamorphosis and "A Hunger Artist". The way Kafka lived may have been examples and themes in each the two stories. In both stories main characters decide to separate themselves from their own surroundings. They are reasons for each of the characters isolation from what's outside of them. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor, the main focus morphs physically into a bug. His intent was to be freer from his own life, but isolation from family and work increases. Gregor's family then does not want anything to do with him. Also, the hunger artist alienates himself by hiding inside a cage and fasting. In the story he wants nothing from the outside not even food. These are two extreme examples of how Kafka uses the theme of alienation. This important theme is shown throughout the works of The Metamorphosis and "A Hunger Artist".

In The Metamorphosis, The main character Gregor works as a salesman. Gregor hates his job and is very miserable and unfulfilled. Not only was his job a problem but also his family was not supportive. The way Gregor led his life gave many examples of the attempt to isolate and alienate himself from what he feared and detested. The relationship between Gregor and his father was not a good mainly because of the lack of respect for each other. His family's lack of respect and attention would push him further into a state of isolation. Gregor continues to hide inside his room and attempt to become more alienated. One day he wakes up with shell on his back resembling a beetle. The alienation of himself would be greater know. With the new change Gregor's own mother and sister were disgusted and rejected what had happened. His father must work just as hard for the family and becomes more upset with his son. After the metamorphosis it became very hard to understand what Gregor's needs were and even to communicate. "Did you understand a word?" the manger was asking his parents. "He isn't trying to make fools of us, is he?" "My god" cried his mother, already in tears," maybes he's seriously ill and here we are torturing him." (pg 13). Gregor's effort to be alienated is finally truly a problem and is affecting his own family. The only way to escape his way of alienation is to physically take his life and die.

In "A Hunger Artist," the main characters intent is to live in a cage for forty days and fast. The hunger artist wanted nothing from the outside world even though many came by to watch him starve himself. The man was very strong and did not want to give into what he believed. People who saw the hunger artist were shocked that he would not give in. The hunger artist first alienated himself as Gregor did, but differently in that it was some kind of show or attempt to make a statement. Forty days had past