I've never seen such a bizarre start to a novel: “One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armor-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections.” This is the opening paragraph of Kafka's novel The Metamorphosis in which a dedicated, hard-working, middle-aged man begins to experience a completely different kind of life.

Physiological Alienation
The protagonist, Gregor, first experiences physiological alienation after his body transforms into a cockroach. Upon first consideration, no one enjoys a cockroach. They are considered nuisances and even disgusting. Thereby, the fact that Gregor becomes something that is so grotesque, physiological alienation begins and is a sign of a tragic ending. The cockroach form of Gregor symbolizes human loneliness and indifference. To some extent, the loneliness in The Metamorphosis comes from Kafka's personal experiences. He did not get along with his father and returned home as a stranger. Kafka's Gregor reflects not only the author but the human condition.

Psychological Alienation
When Gregor transforms into a cockroach, he only has the shape of the vermin but maintains human emotions and the ability to think. He is still caring and considerate of his family. In essence, Gregor's sense of loneliness and despair after feeling alienation as a cockroach is the reflection of a soul in pain under the heavy pressure of society.

As time passes, Gregor's humanity fades and psychological alienation begins. Gregor's inner world is also numbing as he refuses to connect with society. For example, Gregor's bedroom had a window that let in sunlight, giving him warmth and relaxation. But with the loss of interest in communicating with the outside world, he no longer used that window. As Gregor's room gradually turns into a “worm cave”, his thoughts also transform from that of a human to that of a cockroach, representing that he can is at the mercy of others. His humanity is gradually replaced by the insect nature, thus losing the memories and the rights of being human.

The alienation of people by society
The twentieth century brought with it rapid industrial expansion and mass production. This led to a strong division of labor. However, it alienated people from one another. Humanity has become a mechanized product. Individuals seem small and insignificant, resulting in the loss of individuality, and finally metamorphosing into an "inhuman" entity. Ultimately, this book is an astounding portrayal of how Gregor’s inner conflicts and metamorphosis are symbolic of our own declination due to the steely, cold grip of industrialization.