How Does The Metamorphosis Existentialism

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The main existential themes/ideas in The Metamorphosis include absurdity, alienation or isolation; and fear, dread and anxiety. The absurdity of life means there is no logical or rational explanation for the events that occur in the world. Alienation demonstrates that every human is alone in their struggles. Fear, dread and anxiety gives humans daily motivation. Firstly, The Metamorphosis demonstrates an existential theme of absurdity through Gregor’s transformation into a human-sized bug. He wakes up at the beginning of the novel realizing he is a large bug and appears unconcerned by this. Rather, he ruminates over his job and family and the language or the tone of the story is straightforward and blunt. These factors contribute to the confusion the reader feels when concluding that the protagonist is unbothered by his transformation. Gregor talks and thinks as though becoming a bug is a normal circumstance. This scene demonstrates absurdity. This is also because the novel does not rationalize Gregor’s metamorphosis by offering a reason for this situation. It is left to the interpretation …show more content…

Mentally, he struggles to find his humanity as he physically, takes on the tendencies of an insect. When his sister, Grete, decides to remove the furniture in his room to allow Gregor to crawl around more easily, Gregor fights this by protecting the painting of a woman wearing fur. He recognizes that by removing the furniture it is destroying any evidence of his previous life as a human. He is attached to his possessions and the meaning they have in his life. He is alone in his struggle to find his humanity. Physically he recognizes his body is not the same but mentally, he is unable to accept he will have to detach himself from his previous life. He cannot accept that for his physical adaptation he needs room to crawl around and the furniture is a barrier for

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