The Metamorphosis

Perception is reality

Kafka, Franz "The Metamorphosis"

"The Metamorphosis" protagonist Gregor Samsa wakes up with a new body, he becomes an insect.  Gregor panics but not because he's an insect, but that he's late for work. Gregor is a salesman, using his income to support his family. Gregor's boss shows up to the Samsa's home and sees Gregor's transformation. His boss panics and so does his family but not for the same reasons as his boss, especially the father. The father is concerned about how will Gregor make ends meet and the mother still gives her son perishable food to eat. Throughout the story, Samsa family ignores or try to pretend Gregor's transformation is a farce until he dies. 

The Theme: Gregor’s transformation completely alters his outward appearance, but it leaves his mind unchanged, creating a discord, or lack of harmony, between his mind and body. When he first gets out of his bed after waking, for instance, he tries to stand upright, even though his body is not suited to being upright. He also thinks of going to work, despite the fact that he can’t by any means do so, and when Grete leaves him the milk at the beginning of Part 2, he is surprised to find he doesn’t like it, even though milk was a favorite drink when he was human. In essence, he continues to think with a human mind, but because his body is no longer human, he is unable at first to reconcile these two parts of himself.