Metamorphosis and Frankenstein: Themes of Isolation

Introduction: Two Visions of Alienation

"No Eve soothed my sorrows, nor shared my thoughts; I was alone. I remembered Adam's supplication to his Creator. But where was mine? He had abandoned me: and, in the bitterness of my heart, I cursed him." — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are perhaps two of the most brilliant stories in English literature. Both Shelley and Kafka address the sensitive issues of human relationships and the human capacity to confront an unusual situation. Both stories place their characters in complex, extreme circumstances and examine their ability — or inability — to overcome them. Most of all, they speak to human struggle, tragedy, and despair in the face of failure.

Though the two stories differ in their plots, there are striking similarities between their central themes. Frankenstein is anything but a conventional novel; many lessons are embedded in the story, including how society treats those who are "different." The monster falls victim to a system that judges a person by outward appearance. Whether people acknowledge it or not, society consistently characterizes individuals by their physical traits. Similarly, in Metamorphosis, we witness modern man's sense of isolation: after Gregor's transformation into an insect, his entire family rejects him. The story reflects society's attitude toward the different — Gregor is first feared, then ignored, and finally cast aside. Both stories depict the extraordinary circumstances into which fate throws the protagonist, along with the tragedy that follows when the protagonist cannot escape them.

The Protagonists' Plights: Fate and Transformation

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect." — Franz Kafka, Metamorphosis

In both stories the protagonist is thrown into a dire situation — the monster in Frankenstein by his creator, and Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis by fate. Frankenstein's monster finds himself in a world where he is an outcast: he is not only physically different but also unaware of the social codes individuals must follow in order to be accepted. Those who deviate from the "standard" are hated and excluded for the simple reason of being different. The monster gradually realizes that people despise his appearance and hate him because of it.

Gregor Samsa faces a parallel situation. When he wakes one morning to find himself transformed into a gigantic insect, he is shocked and does not know what to do. Yet, surprisingly, he is not consumed by the horror of his transformation — he worries instead about reporting for work and whether he will be able to get there in time. Gregor accepts his fate. His primary concern is how to get out of bed and walk on his numerous legs, and whether he can still make it to the office.

Social Rejection and the Response of Others

On the other hand, the two stories present a sharp contrast in their central ideas. Kafka's main concern is the enslavement of modern man to the forces of materialism. Driven to work long hours in meaningless jobs among people who do not care about one another — just like Gregor — mankind appears to live a meaningless and ineffectual existence. Modern life demands that a person hold a job, earn money, and satisfy materialistic desires. Shelley, by contrast, portrays the dangerous pursuit of knowledge and the disaster it brings. Victor's act of creation ultimately results in the destruction of everyone he holds dear, raising questions about human responsibility, human limits, and the morality of seeking to unlock the secrets of life.

"When night came, I quitted my retreat, and wandered in the wood; and now, no longer restrained by the fear of discovery, I gave vent to my anguish in fearful howlings. I was like a wild beast that had broken the toils; destroying the objects that obstructed me, and ranging through the wood with a stag-like swiftness." — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

We see a similarly pragmatic attitude from the monster in Frankenstein. Realizing that people despise his appearance, he attempts to befriend a blind man, reasoning that because the man cannot see his repulsive features, he might appreciate his personality. Abandoned by his creator and confused, the monster tries to integrate himself into society, only to be universally shunned. Looking in the mirror, he recognizes his physical grotesqueness — an aspect of his appearance that blinds society to his initially gentle, kind nature.

The monster's eloquent narration of events reveals his remarkable sensitivity and benevolence. He assists a group of poor peasants and saves a girl from drowning, yet because of his outward appearance he is rewarded only with beatings and disgust. Kafka's Gregor Samsa receives similar treatment from his family after his transformation. Upon seeing the gigantic insect, his boss flees, his father locks him in his room and later wounds him by hurling apples at him, his mother faints at the sight, and even his loving sister eventually wishes he would simply go away. His own family rejects Samsa entirely; none of them consider how he himself feels about his miserable transformation.

Conclusion

Thus we see a sharp distinction between the two approaches. In Frankenstein, rejection leads to hatred and ultimately to the monstrosity of the creature. This theme pervades the entire novel; the monster kills Victor's brother and his wife. The monster is only the most literal of a number of monstrous entities in the novel, including the knowledge that Victor used to create him. One can argue that Victor himself is a kind of monster, as his ambition, secrecy, and selfishness alienate him from human society. Shelley seeks to depict the dangerous pursuit of knowledge, questioning human limits and our responsibility as creators. A further theme is humanity's desire to play God.