“The Metamorphosis,” by Franz Kafka and “The Stranger,” by Albert Camus are both short stories which present young men who are trapped into obscure situations and they had to accept the situation as reality. The main idea that both authors had in the back of their mind is existentialism. This idea is emphasized through both stories. It attempts to demonstrate the nothingness of life and the fear that nothingness creates. It brings about the idea of living to the fullest due to the finite nature of life. The main character of “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor is a prisoner of his own body while Meursault “The Stranger,” the main character is confined by actual prison and fate. The Metamorphosis”, the main actor Gregor seemingly turned into a giant insect overnight. He realizes this fact at night but decides to go back to sleep. He is later awoken by voices from his family members and the office manager who were concerned why he has not woken up and gone to work.  He opens the doors and looks from behind it, and he sees his family and office manager terrified. In his new state, they rejected him as a family member but his sister offers him food, but gradually she began to view him as a nuisance. He felt like he was burdening his family, locked up himself in his bedroom and dies. “The Stranger,” by Camus is composed of unfortunate events. The narrator Meursault is a man who unfortunately becomes trapped in tormenting situations. These events are no emotions at his mother funeral, killing another man with no reason, and accept to marry a woman who he claims not to love. All these events factor in to his demise.

There are significant similarities that both Gregor and Meursault demonstrate in these stories. Both characters Gregor and Meursault show the absurd nature of life. Gregor who according to the story is a kind-hearted person who ends up in an unfair nature of being in the form of an insect. This demonstrates the absurd nature of life of not giving well to the good. There are a series of events that happened in Meursault life like the death of his mother. In a quote, he says “I said that people never change lives, that in any case, one life was as good as another and that I was not dissatisfied with mine here at all.” He views life so simply despite its absurd nature.

Another similarity between both characters is alienation.  Gregor alienates from being human to being a bug. Due to his new form, his family wishes to forget his existence, and they do this by keeping him in confines of his room. He was still referred to as “he,” but toward the end, it changed to “it.” Meursault has a presumably self-created alienation. His fiancée and neighbor wish to associate with him, but he does not know how to maintain a healthy relationship. His emotions are alienated from the rest of the world. After killing a man on the beach, He said, “…..for everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate”.Both characters demonstrate how man is vulnerable to change. Gregor lacks control over his body. He transforms overnight to being an insect and cannot reverse. This is a fate that he has not chosen for himself, but he has to live with it. He once pleaded, “What’s happened to me?” He doesn’t understand what is going on. Meursault is not in control of his life. He conducts a senseless murder on the beach without planning. Even though the act is not his logical decision, he has no choice but to face the consequences. His statement, “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious when and how don’t matter.” These statement Shows man’s vulnerability to change through death and has no choice.

Despite the numerous similarities between the two characters Gregor and Meursault, the two characters also have distinct differences.  The first significant difference is their physical form. Gregor physical form transformed from a normal human being to become an insect. These changes did not reverse to his death. Meursault also went through many events, but his physical form never transformed. Another difference is their relationship with family especially the mother. Gregor relationship with his family and mother was good, but changes on his physical nature changed the relationship since his mother did not accept him in the new form, she refused to see him or even talk to him. Meursault mother despite being alive a good part of the story, Meursault does not want anything to do with her. Their nature of imprisonment is also very different. Gregor is imprisoned by being in the form of an insect. He is then confined in a room lonely without love and attention from his family. None of his actions trigger this situation. Meursault, on the other hand, is imprisoned in a physical prison due to his act of murder.

In a nutshell, we can see that both authors idea is existentialism. The authors try to demonstrate how man has no power over fate. Several similarities come out clearly between the two main characters Gregor of “The Metamorphosis” and Meursault of “The Stranger,” which include; the absurd nature of their life, alienation and their vulnerability to change. Besides the similarities, there are many differences which include physical form of their change, relationship with family where Meursault does not care of his mother while Gregor cared, but his mother failed him on his worst times.  Their forms of imprisonment are another difference since Meursault is confined due to his actions while Gregor is in confined due to his new physical state.

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