The Metamorphosis

Existentialism in The Metamorphosis Existentialism is the philosophy that handles man’s isolation in the universe. Either there is no God or there is a God but he stands alone from man, leaving him free will to make his own choices. Also, in Existentialism the choices you make define who you are. From this basic idea of man being isolated in a purposeless state, many ideas have emerged. One idea that emerged is that existentialists worry that life has become too arduous, and impersonal. As well as people become more involved with their work, which takes them away from their family, friends, and society. An author that prominently shows existential themes in his writing is Franz Kafka in The Metamorphosis. The Metamorphosis is novella

His death displays another Existential theme, that man can’t survive by himself. Gregor needs to be a member of society in order to give his life meaning. Before Gregor’s transformation, he lived his life as an isolated loner. Gregor would get up everyday to the same routine, he wake up at four every morning to travel all over the region to sell products, but never had anytime to make a long lasting friendship, he never really even tried to. In his free time he would do anything but make friends, he would read or do artwork alone. Gregor’s employers thought he was trying to cheat them out of their money, so they were ready jump to conclusions and throw him out like a non-human machinery. Gregor acts like a non-human machine rather than acting like a human who socializes, so when Gregor transforms into a non-human insect, which causes him to be a victim of Existentialism. In the Metamorphosis, Gregor has to fight to act like a human, struggling to do everyday tasks. Gregor “once again saw his small limbs fighting one another… he told himself again that he could not possibly remain in bed and that it might be the most reasonable thing to sacrifice everything” and that he must get “himself out of bed in the process.” Getting out of bed is an easy task, yet for Gregor moving at all is a very difficult thing to do that he has to relearn. He has to use all his strength to do something that isn’t difficult at all.