philosophy

The saddest thing is not that he died. But that he died long before the story picked up, hundreds of times, with each fatal failure. He died failing. Failing to revolt against his established role. Failing to avoid Bad Faith. Failing to free himself from burdens of guilt and judgement. Failing to exercise his freedom. Failing to own up to his choices. Failing to defend his own existence. Failing to stop the world from defining him before it was too late and, in turn, granting it permission to ultimately annihilate him. Let this be a reminder.

His metamorphosis is, simply put, a reflection of how alienated Gregor felt from his own humanity, of how content he felt with his spineless form, even before turning into an insect.

But the again, Kafka never called him an insect. He was actually against representations of him. No matter how detailed or abstract.