I thought Kafka’s Metamorphosis raised an interesting point that the way one changes affects others more than it does oneself. It seems as though the person who changed most was not Gregor, but each member of his family. While his body now resembles an insect, Gregor’s mind remains the same. He rations and emotes just like he did as a human; he still cares very fondly for his family and even ruminates on his adult responsibilities. Each of his family members, however, transition from loving and concerned to cold and almost disgusted by Gregor. The newly-turned beetle notes this attitude on numerous occasions, conceding that the maid was the only person who treated him somewhat normally. The family is so provoked by Gregor’s new exterior that they no longer regard him as their son. While Murakami’s take on Gregor Samsa assumes quite a different tone, namely one of humor, he still hints at themes of the Samsa family’s detachment by omitting their presence altogether. Perhaps Gregor’s connection with the maid parallels his spark with the hunchback lady, ultimately suggesting that he can more easily connect to strangers than he can to people close to him who are more volatile to his transformations.
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