Commentary on Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka's short story, Metamorphosis about a young man transforming into an insect, though ridiculous has an important underlying theme. The story deals more with the reactions of others, especially his own family who he had financially taken care of and made sacrifices for. The real metamorphosis thus involves the change in those who now have to deal with this young man in his new distressing avatar.

Kafka uses several literary elements in part one to bring home and illustrate his theme which are outlined below :

As Gregor awakens to his new state he is described as "he was lying on his hard as it were armor-plated back" though Gregor is no longer in human form he is still described as if he is still a person. This personification let's us the reader know that he remains essentially the same person inside inspite of his outward physical change. Further, literally and figuratively speaking he will need to develop a thick skinned back to deal with peoples negative response which Kafka foreshadows. The armor plating reference for his newly acquired insect body acts as a simile. This theme is extended when a picture he has cut out from a magazine acts as an image for his armor plating, " it showed a lady with a fur hat on and a fur stole sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into which the whole of her forearm had vanished." it is almost as if Gregor had himself foreseen that he would turn into animal form. Again a picture  of Gregor in uniform with a sword carries on the imagery of his new uniform and armor plated back.

There are many instances of irony such as when Gregor describes the messenger from his office as figuratively " spineless " when it is he who no longer possesses  a spine in his invertebrate form. Also, when the door is left open, " they had evidently left it open as one does in homes where some great misfortune had happened ". There are many instances of the door which acts as a motif.  When ironically the family wants to hide the shame of their new circumstances behind closed doors. Also he prides himself on a framed jigsaw, which he had carefully constructed and has become his prized possession, when ironically his life has become the pieces of a unconstructed jigsaw puzzle, as his life falls apart. 
Lastly, the " morning fog " acts as an image of a blanket to bring comfort and hide him from the world brings little comfort, but Kafka still uses this imagery to show that this misfortune is on a large scale and cannot be easily mullified.