Kafka’s existential anxiety shaped The Metamorphosis
What Did Kafka Want to Say with Gregor's Death? ✨ Summary of Key Symbolism: Gregor Samsa wakes up as a giant insect — a metaphor for becoming “unacceptable” to society and family. He tries to adapt, but everyone turns away from him. He dies alone, believing everyone is better off without him. His family feels relieved after his death — they can move on and feel hope again. --- 💥 Kafka’s Message (possible interpretations): a. Fear of Being a Burden Gregor is reduced to someone who only receives care, and his family resents it. Kafka may have feared the same — being dependent, useless, disposable. b. Alienation Gregor transforms, but his mind remains human. He loses his job, voice, and place in the family. Kafka is showing what it feels like to be disconnected from meaning, from others, from the self. c. Despair and Self-Erasure Gregor eventually accepts that his death is a relief to others. This mirrors Kafka’s own despair — feeling that his existence is a problem. --- 😔 Existenti...