Who is Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis?

Gregor Samsa is the protagonist of Franz Kafka’s 1915 novella, The Metamorphosis. At the beginning of the story, he is an overworked traveling salesman who serves as the sole breadwinner for his family, laboring to pay off their debts.12

Gregor’s life changes abruptly when he wakes up to find he has been transformed into a monstrous, insect-like creature. While Kafka intentionally left the exact species of the creature ambiguous—using the German term Ungeziefer—the character is often described as having a hard, segmented carapace and many legs.23

Following his transformation, Gregor becomes alienated from his family, who eventually view him as a burden. His physical state and subsequent isolation have been interpreted by scholars as a symbolic representation of his societal and familial alienation, or as a consequence of his self-sacrificial lifestyle. Ultimately, Gregor dies in his room, neglected by his family, who then move forward with their lives with a sense of renewed hope.23