On The Themes in Metamorphosis

Absurdity

One of the key themes in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is the absurdity of life. The very basic premise of the novel is rather absurd. A man (the protagonist, Gregor) wakes up, only to find out that he has turned in to a very large beetle. This is a feat that would probably still be considered impossible hundreds of years from now, owing to the extremely difference in the biological make up of insects and humans.  This absurdity re-enforced by the fact that there is no explanation for his change, as the reader is not told if this is some form of punishment, some form of sickness, or otherwise. It just happens.

The theme of absurdity is further enforced in how everyone around the transformed Gregor reacts to his new self. Apart from the first maid and the chief clerk, everyone else reacts in an un-naturally (considering the circumstances) unquestioning and calm way, instead of treating what has happened to him as a something terrifying and impossible they treat it as if it like a sickness, not questioning it. The first maid and the chief clerk are the only ones to react in a manner that could be considered normal, with the chief clerk running away in terror, and the maid who begs to be fired due to her deep anxiety and fear of Gregor’s new form.

The Separation between Mind and Body

When Gregor’s body transforms in to that of a giant beetle, his mind stays that of his original human one. These are two very important aspects of a being, and because in Gregor they are from two very different creatures, it causes a permanent disconnect between his original mind and his new insect body. Gregor never fully comes to terms with his life as an insect, and this is seen from the very beginning, from when he tries to stand on two legs upon getting out of bed for the first time, all the way through to the end when he tries to hold on to the objects that he had when he was human, (and were only useful to him as a human) to remain emotionally and mentally comfortable.