Franz Kafka was an author of the 20th century, novelist, and short story writer, with German origins. He is well-known for his contribution to a different interpretation of the human mind throughout his writing (Rockefeller 1). Kafka strongly influenced different genres, such as existentialism. Kafka suffered from clinical depression, social anxiety, and many other stress-related disorders throughout his life. He is known to have said, “I have the true feeling of myself only when I am unbearably unhappy” (Abbasian 1). Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis with the intention of offering a comprehensive psychological analysis of social anxiety disorder and how it affects a person's life.
In his book he analyzes the complexity of the human mind and how it responds to public forces through a curious change of the principal character, Gregor Samsa. Gregor is a traveling salesperson who wakes up one day to realize that he has been transformed into an insect (Glazer 89). This incredible metamorphosis is used as a metaphor for the separation felt by those individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). His physical transformation into a bug serves as a metaphor for his mental state, as he becomes increasingly isolated and unable to connect with those around him. His emotional and social isolation, coupled with his sense of guilt and shame, are common experiences for people with depression and anxiety: “Gregor Samsa awoke one morning to find himself transformed into monstrous vermin. His body, once familiar, was now foreign to him, and he realized that he had become an outcast in his own home” (89). By exploring these themes, Kafka highlights the struggles of those who suffer from mental illness, and the importance of empathy and understanding in helping them overcome their challenges.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka presents Gregor’s emotional fight with isolation and self-worth just like the people that suffer from Social Anxiety, by demonstrating the pressure and expectations placed on them in society. Gregor struggles with the duty of supporting his family alone, which increases his sense of obligation and intensifies his worry: “I have to provide for my family and my sister. I am in great difficulties, but I will get out of them again” (Glazer 101). Gregor is the only provider for his family, which is why he has a great deal of worry and anxiety because of this financial strain. Kafka ingeniously brings up the feelings of weakness and anxiety that go along with the pressure to live up to social expectations as he pictures Gregor's internal struggle. Gregor worked tirelessly to provide for his family, sacrificing his own dreams and desires. Yet, despite his efforts, he could not escape the feeling of falling short. The author highlights how Gregor's attempts to live up to social expectations are persistent. He continually worries about the repercussions of not living up to these ideals, which only makes him more anxious because of his continuing effort; just like the people with social anxiety who always live with the fear that they will be judged, will not be properly appreciated or that they will never meet the same standards as the others.
Kafka is showing us how hard is for people with social anxiety to express themselves using Gregor’s unsuccessful attempts at communication. He analyzes the breakdown of Gregor's connections to his family and the outside world as the novella goes on. A breakdown in Gregor’s interactions with his family and society results from his failure to speak properly, which aggravates his social interaction. Also, his bedroom's walls take on a metaphorical meaning of the partitions separating him from his loved ones and mirror the chasm in his emotions brought on by his anxiousness. Kafka expertly illustrates the breakdown in communication between Gregor and his family, highlighting the significant negative effects of social anxiety on interpersonal communication “so they couldn’t understand his words anymore, although they seemed clear enough to him, clearer than before – perhaps his ears had become used to the sound” (Glazer 98). The emotional loneliness felt by people with social anxiety intensifies the sensation of alienation. Recent studies from Santini et al. have shown that loneliness is a predictor of depression and anxiety and that social isolation increased feelings of perceived isolation, which in turn predicted higher depression and anxiety symptoms (Santini 62).
After reading Kafka’s book The Metamorphosis, we can understand that social anxiety disorder can be a severe psychiatric condition that transforms an individual’s sense of self and his interconnection with others. He emphasizes the value of empathy and understanding for such people as he attempts to shed light on the inner turmoil experienced by persons who are dealing with anxiety disorders: “…nobody could understand him, nobody, not even his sister, thought that he could understand them, so he had to be content to hear his sister’s sighs and appeals to the saints as she moved about his room” (Glazer 133). Kafka explores the complexities of human emotions and relationships while asking readers to think about the effects of society norms and the need for compassion for individuals who are dealing with mental illnesses. Kafka writes in a manner that masterly combines the psychological and emotional state of the characters with bizarre aspects to evoke reflection and promote empathy of the readers. He encourages readers to consider their own experiences and feelings by using the figure of Gregor to depict social anxiety in a relatable and moving manner. The Metamorphosis illuminates the complexities of social anxiety disorder and its deep consequences on the human mind.
Works Cited
Abbasian, Cyrus. “The Metamorphosis.” BMJ: British Medical Journal, 7 July 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/. Accessed 19 July 2023.
Glazer, Nahum M., and John Updike. “The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka.” University of Pennsylvania, 1971, www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Kafka_Metamorphosis.pdf?xs=1.
Rockefeller, Lily. “Biography of Franz Kafka, Czech Novelist.” ThoughtCo, 2 Apr. 2020, www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-franz-kafka-czech-writer-4800358. Accessed 10 August 2023.
Santini, Ziggi Ivan, et al. "Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysis." The Lancet Public Health 5.1 (2020): e62-e70. Accessed 2 August 2023.
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