Metamorphosis actually contains an enormous quantity of symbolism, which serves to underscore several

literal events which may have taken place in said story. Within the novella, many literary techniques are

employed in order to contribute to the depth of the story line, with symbolism being the most prevalent,

though not the sole method. These other literary tools are secondary in their nature, but they remain quite

For example, a sense of Weltschmertz (“world pain”) can be felt by the main character, Gregor

Samsa, in part due to such imagery as “the overcast sky,” the “rain drops,” and “uneasy dreams.” Ideas

such as these help to buttress this sense of despair and melancholy with the world and all of its various

wrongs. The references to Weltschmertz are also reinforced by Gregor Samsa’s (the main character)

comments such as “what an exhausting job I’ve picked on!” when speaking of his position as a traveling

salesman. It is not so much that one single item caused his depression, but a

his body as that of “a gigantic insect”, but there is much more to it than merely that. He did not become a

his supervisor, railed him with threats and insults. It is an obvious attempt to make Gregor feel inadequate

stresses of a monotonous life that makes the character feel as if he bears the weight of the world upon his

Some common words found in the essay are:
Gregor Samsa, Gregor Samsa’s, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Revisited Despite, gregor samsa, main character, franz kafka’s metamorphosis, “world pain”, kafka’s metamorphosis, franz kafka’s, gregor samsa’s, Franz Kafka’s,
Approximate Word count = 804
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)