The Dehumanization of Gregor in Kafka's Metamorphosis

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The Dehumanization of Gregor in The Metamorphosis

In the novella The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, the main character Gregor undergoes a physical transformation from human to bug. Despite this change in appearance, he maintains his human brain as insect tendencies slowly take over his day to day behavior. He maintains his thoughtless state of mind, memories, and inner dialogue during his exterior transformation. Although he maintains his mental capacities, it is his change in appearance that causes his family to turn against him and eventually kill him. These events show how people can become dehumanized by society and the government only because of a difference in behavior or appearance.

In Gregor's case, he is transformed in an extreme manner and only remains human in his thoughts and emotions. "He found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect." This extreme form of physical transformation is used to show how even a person's own family can, under certain conditions, reject, mistreat, and eventually kill because of a change in outward appearance or behavior....

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