The Metamorphosis and Endgame

In both works, The Metamorphosis and Endgame, Kafka and Ballard surface an issue in which society suppresses personal identity in different respects of society. The metamorphosis emphasizes the superficiality one’s economic value dominating their worth. In the Endgame, Ballard emphasizes the elimination of individualism as one discovers and accepts that their identity is incongruent to society. 

In The Metamorphosis, Gregor is trapped in an insect’s body and unable to work. Eventually, Gregor conforms to live in a bug like environment. “He especially enjoyed hanging suspended from the ceiling…one could breathe more freely; one’s body swung and rocked lightly…”(Kafka 115) As Gregor slowly starts to enjoy his own living situation, His family distance themselves from him. Ultimately, his inability and complacency in this strange situation causes him to lose societal value and causes his death. “It was like a confirmation of their new dreams and excellent intentions that at the end of their journey their daughter sprang to her feet first and stretched her young body.”(Kafka 139) In the end, his family leaves him behind to die to lighten their burden as they move on leech off of his sister, Grete, as they marry her into a wealthy household. This indicates the intolerance for diversity in society. Kafka stresses that once a person loses his or her economic value, he or she is rendered useless in society. Furthermore, if the aspirations of an individual are not of value in society, his or her identity would be suppressed. Kafka uses Gregor to demonstrate this point. When Gregor is in his human form, he carries the burden supporting the family; however, when Gregor turns into the bug and is no longer able to provide for the family, he is locked inside a storage room along with the unwanted furniture. In other words, Gregor’s death indicates the intolerant society and the superficial emphasis on the economic value of a person. In addition, Kafka uses Grete to demonstrate the superficiality in this society as well. When Grete’s parents discovered that Grete has grown to be a beautiful young woman fit to marry, they immediately acknowledged the economic prospects of their lives disregarding her preferences to be a musician. This illustrates the shallow perspective of economics value overpowering dreams and aspirations that do not revolve around money.

Similarly, in Endgame, Ballard suggests that an individual is exiled from society as soon as he or she is accused of offending society. In the short story, Constantin, the Condemned, is accused of an unknown crime that hasn’t gone through proper trial and imprisoned in an empty villa. Constantin’s unknown sentence of imprisonment symbolizes the discrimination society has against individuality. Ballard makes this parallel by stating that  “[Constantin’s] case [was] permanently one file but never irrevocably closed. Above all, the fact of his guilt was never established and confirmed.” (Ballard 507)  In other words, Ballard compares Constantin’s crime to being discriminated and excluded from current society. He illustrates the vague but equally strong verdict that discrimination puts on people.  Once you are excluded from society you are ignored and misunderstood.  Furthermore, in Endgame Ballard suggests that “if [a definite date of execution] were known in advance there might be a last-minute rally of sympathy, an attempt to review the sentence and perhaps apportion the blame else where.”(Ballard 506) Which relates to the obscurity and ambiguity that lies within the discriminatory judgments of society and how fast someone can be exiled from society without truly being understood. In addition, Constantin’s death symbolizes the consequences for individuality. As Constantin fights for his innocence, the executioner tells him that “When [he know he is] innocent, then [he is] guilty.”(Ballard 520) This demonstrates that by accepting and boasting one’s own unique identity, one is susceptible to society’s elimination.

In both The Metamorphosis and Endgame, the symbolism revolves around the isolation and suppression of one’s identity and value. Both Kafka and Ballard use death as a prime consequence for not conforming to society.  They also use the physical segregation to represent the isolation from society.  In the Metamorphosis, Gregor is trapped in his room, not allowed to come out, whereas in Endgame, Constantin is not allowed to leave the villa. In addition, both of the main characters were rejected and excluded from society for unclear and unjustified reasons. No explicit reason was given as to why Gregor becomes an insect nor was there a clear crime pinned on Constantin. In short, Kafka and Ballard both created a situation in which individuals are suppressed and suffocated by the homogenous society.

However, Kafka explored this idea with a different perspective. Kafka specifically inferred to the economic value one has in society. Gregor’s isolation did not begin until he began to lose his financial abilities in the household. In Kafka’s work, one’s identity is overpowered by the capitalistic society.  In contrast, Constantin in Endgame was isolated due to an unknown crime that was not strictly established. Through that Ballard addresses the inexplicable prejudices that circulates in a homogenous society isolating the unique aspects of individuals. Thus Ballard suggests that suppression of one’s identity stems from the discrimination and prejudices of others in society. Although both works discuss isolation, Kafka and Ballard definitely approached this thematic issue from different perspectives and aspects.