Literary Analysis of Kafka's The Metamorphosis

Linguistic and Literary Resources

Kafkaesque Narrative Techniques

The heterodiegetic narrator is external to the work and does not participate in it. It is also written in the third person and is omniscient, knowing the outcome of the story before the characters themselves. Despite these traits, the narration is objective, even though the subject matter is thoroughly subjective and interior, expressing opinions about the real world. The narrator utilizes the technique of direct speech, introducing prayer and dialogue.

The work begins in media res, placing the protagonist in a key position for the development of the novel—already transformed into an insect. Time is linear, and the action unfolds from the main theme: the state of Gregor Samsa. There are temporary jumps and instances of achronology. The introduction is much more detailed than the body or the outcome, using temporal extension to immerse the reader in the story. It is developed primarily in the imperfect indicative.

The style is dense and tight, full of allusions and reticence, with characters surrounded by an atmosphere of mystery and restlessness. The center of Kafka's world is the distraught man, living in a world without exits.

Symbolism and Artistic Movements

The Metamorphosis contains symbolic aspects that express the anguish of human life and the subtlety of the author's feelings and emotions. Kafka focuses on inner nature rather than external reality, exaggerating issues to evoke specific emotions in the reader. The work is inspired by:

• The subconscious
• Hallucinations
• Unreal elements of dreams

It is a mixture of Expressionism and Surrealism, creating a situation that is totally fantastic yet connected with reality. Kafka's writing is characterized by a marked metaphysical vocation and a synthesis of the absurd, irony, and lucidity.

The Importance of Space in the Narrative

In this novel, space is very limited, primarily reduced to the protagonist's room. Occasionally, the protagonist describes the street as seen from his window—a black and dreary hospital amidst melancholy rain. The protagonist's room undergoes the most changes during the story; it is described as low, cold, and having a high ceiling.

Objectivity and Subjectivity in the Work

Apparently, the work is objective, as it is written in the third person. However, this objectivity is only relative. According to studies of the author and his work, Kafka feels represented by Gregor, and through Gregor's experiences and feelings, he explains his own.