Topic > Anomaly and Isolation in The Metamorphosis and The Stranger

Both Gregor Samsa from Franz Kafka's novel The Metamorphosis and Meursault from Albert Camus' The Stranger struggle to communicate with the people around them. Although Samsa suffers from physical anomalies while Meursault possesses ideological differences, both characters – through the two authors' use of imagery – are depicted as social outcasts and face extreme challenges in their lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayKafka uses imagery in the Metamorphosis to show how Gregor transforms physically, which leads to his rejection by society. One morning he wakes up to find himself in the body of an insect the size of a man. Even before revealing the details of the transformation, Kafka clearly illustrates the change when he describes Samsa as “lying down on his armored back and seeing, raising his head a little, his domes, his brown belly, divided into arc segments” ( Kafka13). Gregor Samsa's physical irregularities serve to show his alienation from other human beings. Another example of imagery used to portray his physical abnormality is the description of the unusual white spots on Gregor's back, "(h)e felt a slight itching on the upper part of his abdomen...and found the itchy area that was entirely covered in small white spots” (Kafka 14). This quote immediately gives the image of a disturbing and strange aspect that is not usually experienced with a human being, but with an insect. His new body is trying to settle into it is unusually wide and makes it difficult for him to live with. Furthermore, the novel states that "(i)t was very easy to throw away the blanket... but to continue was difficult, especially because it was so unusually loose" (Kafka 16). Kafka uses imagery in this sentence including the difficulty of throwing off the blanket creates an image for the reader, showing the struggle Gregor faces with his new body At one point in the text, it becomes apparent that Gregor suddenly cannot communicate with other human beings. This inability is a characteristic that cuts him off from his family and the rest of the characters in the story. Kafka uses imagery to let the reader imagine the difficulties of communicating with his mother. As the narrator describes, his mother calls Gregor's name, wondering why he is still locked in his bedroom when he should be at work. He once responded to his mother, “Gregor was amazed when he heard her voice respond… as if from below, an irrepressible, painful creak, which left the words clearly distinct” (Kafka 16). If Kafka uses the words "voice" and squeak", the situation Gregor finds himself in becomes very visual, as if we can hear him struggling to speak in his squeaky voice. Gregor loses a significant means of communicating and connecting with people; therefore, he spends most of his days alone in his room, away from his family. Kafka used physical imagery heavily in the novel to support Gregor's abnormal appearance. Physical irregularities are often received harshly by other people. Kafka now uses imagery to let the reader easily visualize the reactions of Gregor's family and friends regarding his appearance The lawyer asked in a remarkably calm and curious voice: “(h)ave you heard Gregor speak yet? That was the voice of an animal" (Kafka 23). , the reader can already visualize the lawyer's curious and suspicious expression as he asks. Clearly, Gregor fails to communicate with the lawyer and explain his situation, the lawyer begins to realize the anomaly of refusal where it isfeels different and has no one to turn to. As shown in the novel, the reactions of his family and his lawyer made him quite cautious, starting with the sudden cry of "(o)h!" from his lawyer, to when his mother "collapsed right between her skirts" and to when his father "clenched his fist, showing a hostile expression, as if he wanted to push Gregor back to his room" (Kafka 25). All of these examples are visual for the reader, showing the shocked and frightened reactions of his parents and his lawyer. Before Gregor was transformed into a parasite, Gregor's isolation was self-inflicted. He chose the solitary life of a street vendor and chose to lock the doors of his house at night. After the change, others are more likely to lock him in his room. This shows his rejection by society and how he has no control over it. Instead of being patient and concerned, his father grabs a stick and a newspaper, forcing Gregor back to his bedroom with vicious prods and hisses. Kafka uses images to show signs of rejection from the people around him. The reader can visualize the father's quick and scared instincts when he faced Gregor, the giant parasite. Gregor begins to have the idea that, being now a pest, society considers him only an insect and no longer relies on him and no longer takes him seriously, "at Gregor's first words, the lawyer had already away, and now he just looked at Gregor again, pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders” (26) Kafka uses small actions performed by the lawyer, such as cutting Gregor off or shrugging his shoulders, to portray images and make visual the lawyer's refusal 'lawyer. This also shows that the lawyer's indifference towards him further proves that Gregor is now considered useless due to his physical appearance, Gregor struggles to live his daily life, rejected by society. the protagonist of The Stranger, is rejected by society, however, unlike Samsa, he is an outcast due to his refusal to play the game imposed by social conventions rather than for his physical appearance. He is simply considered strange and an outcast because he refuses to lie and live the fantasy world in which his society participates. Meursault does not bother to hide his lack of feelings by shedding false tears over his mother's death: "The sky was already flooded with light. The sun was beginning to descend on the earth and it was growing hotter by the minute... I had warm in my dark clothes. (Camus 15)” Camus uses these images to show that Meursault is thinking about the warm weather instead of praising his mother, like the rest of the crowd. This quote he uses is visual and can make the reader imagine the heat Meursault complains about during his mother's wedding. Meursault has his own morals and might think that his action is completely normal, when completely illegal for society, "The trigger gave; I felt the smooth underside of the stock; and there, in that noise, sharp and deafening at the same time, it is where it all began” (59). Camus begins with this quote, mentioning two of the five senses, feeling and hearing, to allow the reader to imagine the situation Meursault finds himself in when he attempts to shoot the Arab. Camus continues to use imagery in this scene using many words that sound of release: "Then I shot four more times at the motionless body where the bullets had lodged without a trace. And it was like knocking four times on the door of happiness" (59). This scene included by Camus clearly distinguishes Meursault from the rest of people, so his actions are unacceptable and lead to consequences. Usually when a person is sent to prison , feelings come, 1990.