During the course of the initial part of The Metamorphosis, one gets to see how Gregor really wants to quit and do away with his job. Not only that, but he also wanted to make sure that he got away from all the family obligations that he had been facing for a long period of time. When turned into the Bug, this problem is sorted out for Gregor as he is isolated from the physical world. The physical isolation that Gregor is facing can be compared to the general level of isolation that Gregor is facing from the way the functionality of modern society works out. The expectation that society has from him is that he should attempt to work hard and make sure that he gets to find a wife. Now, when he is turned into a bug, he kind of feels guilty about the way he has transformed.
As a broader part of society, though, one finds it really hard to relate to Gregor’s feelings at that point in time. There are many reasons for this. The first thing that has to be noted is that the need for social interaction and mixing with other people is one of the basic needs of the people. As human beings, one of our basic needs is to relate to the people who surround us. We want to make life better for them and make sure that their happiness and our happiness are tied together. At times, it does become frustrating due to how expectations keep on piling up, but in the end, one of the best feelings in the world is the shared success that everyone can enjoy together. Thus, one has a hard time relating to the overall context of the story and the way it works out.
Reference
Ryan, M. P. (1999). Samsa and Samsara: Suffering, death, and rebirth in” The Metamorphosis”. German Quarterly, 133-152.
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