The human condition

     While the two metamorphoses in "Samsa in Love" and "The Metamorphosis" are different, they have a similar thread of humanity. Of course, the story cannot begin without a change, an inciting incident. In both stories, that change is the literal physical change of their bodies. In Kafka's story, the character changes into a hideous monster, and his family must figure out what to do with this new reality. In Murakami's story, the character mentally changes into an amnesiac, essentially. But in doing so, he physically changes into a human from, well, nothing. 

    Though the physical change is different, both stories revolve around how characters around them respond to this change. In both cases, their respective humanity is tested. The attitudes of Gregor's family in Kafka's story undergo their own metamorphoses, as his sister changes from taking care of him to deciding to let him die. Gregor's family chooses to abandon him, despite everything he's done for them. In fact, Gregor accepts his role in the end, and he chooses to sacrifice himself for his family one last time. Despite transforming into a monster, Gregor is the most human character in the entire story. In Murakami's story, a woman who's just there to fix a lock must cooperate with someone who knows nothing. Because she has been subject to ridicule on account of her hunchback, she has a jaded persona that meets Gregor's naivety with skepticism. Gregor, retaining his humanity from the last story, curiously asks her about all that's on his mind like a toddler. In both cases, that's what it means to be human: to endlessly strive despite the obstacles, to be curious, to be shunted away from the world yet vie to be accepted. 

    Another interpretation of "The Metamorphosis" claims that Gregor Sansa is an unreliable narrator. This idea says that Gregor never really turned into this hideous monster, but that Gregor becomes a victim of his own degeneration. This is shown through the two distinct versions of whatever is happening: Gregor's version, where he speaks clearly and his thoughts are clear, and where his family cannot understand him. Through this lens, then, Gregor begins to lose his humanity as he descends into madness. While this interpretation does have merit, I'd prefer to think of Gregor as the tragic hero who comes to terms with his family's inhumane treatment of him and decides to make his family happy rather than live himself.

    One final point I'd like to make is the use of pain in both stories. In both metamorphized cases, the main characters feel pain upon moving and aren't used to their bodies; learning how to move is hurting them. Both stories mention hunger. These characters are literally moving on instinct, in pain, wondering what their next move is. Existence is pain, I guess. The most melodramatic takeaway from these two stories is: to be human is to be in pain.

James