A Less Literal Metamorphosis

In addition to the literal reading where Gregor Samsa one day turns into a monstrous insect, I think that a more metaphorical reading can also be done.

Looking at it from this perspective, The Metamorphosis is the story of a overworked businessman who one day suffers a breakdown and becomes a complete shut-in, who becomes a burden to his family and eventually dies alone, unmourned.

At the start, Gregor is under rather a lot of pressure. He is the breadwinner of the family, not only putting food on the table but bailing out the family's debt. Despite this, the rest of the family does not help him at all with this. He is also under a great deal of pressure from his job. We spoke about how insanely controlling his job and bosses are, from the boss who physically lords over his employees, to how missing a train is enough to send the chief clerk to Gregor's house, to the debt Gregor's father owes, to the chief clerk himself. The chief clerk is controlling and manipulative, willing to slander Gregor to his family and his coworkers, and guilt-trips and shaming to berate Gregor.

Gregor's breaking point comes at the beginning of the novel, with his transformation. He becomes unable to go into work, but at this point, he is in denial, thinking still of all the things he must do. Then, when the chief clerk arrives, Gregor is verbally hammered with guilt and shame and begs for forgiveness under the chief clerk's exploitation. At this point, when the chief clerk is driven away in terror, Gregor is no longer in denial about his state: he cannot work, he will not work. In fact, he'll just stay in his room all day and hide away from the world.

In part II, Gregor has put all thoughts of work out of his head. He no longer thinks about what his (former) coworkers are doing, but rather of himself, and his room and things like crawling on the ceiling.

However, as Gregor finally takes time for himself, his family sees him as a burden and begins to loathe him. This becomes greatly evident when Gregor leaves his room (for the first time since the chief clerk) to listen to Grete's violin. The family now turns its ire on him, driving him back into his room, trapping him as they deny his humanity and state that the family would be better off with him dead.

Gregor then starves to death in his room. His death is met with the charwoman's laughter and ridicule, and his family with nothing more than an atmosphere of relief, and happiness, and joy that their ordeal was over.

Looking at it this way, Gregor's tragedy perhaps less about the loss of his humanity (though it is still a big part), but rather the story of a man broken by society who then falls through the cracks.