Metamorphosis

In a modern world can one find sanctuary?

In the novella Metamorphosis, Kafka ensues that in a modern world, one can only find sanctuary in death. For Gregor, life consisted of alienating himself since he solely did as others told him. When he did have time to himself, Gregor focused on seemingly trivial things such as cutting out a picture of a woman from a magazine. This reveals his want for escape since he probably thought of the picture as a means of sanctuary. Gregor might have found comfort in either the women’s beauty or how a piece of her forearm was able to completely vanish within the muff she was wearing. Maybe it gave him hope that he could live that kind of life. Yet the possibility for greater escape is found when he becomes a bug. While Gregor embraces the idea, everyone around him is revolted and he becomes an extreme annoyance to even his loving sister. While becoming a bug gave Gregor the chance to escape his human life and find sanctuary in losing his petty human responsibilities, he instead is faced with more grief than before. "The decision that he must disappear" became his only alternative to stop being a burden not only onto others but onto himself.