A Comparative Study On The Theme Of Alienation In The Breast And The Metamorphosis

The Metamorphosis is the representative short novel of Kafka, who is one of the most outstanding writers in 21st century's modern literary world. Since publication, it has drawn attention to the problem of alienation. The Breast of Philip Roth called to be the American version of The Metamorphosis has aroused controversial debate abroad since publication. Due to the similar story style, they are always linked together to be viewed as the representative works of metamorphosis. The two Geniuses of literature with the same Jewish descent touched down to the subtle issue of alienation in modern society and expressed their concern on survival dilemma of human being through their masterpieces. The issue of alienation as revealed in two works corresponds precisely to Sartre's Existentialist Philosophy. Therefore, based on the theory of alienation in Sartre's Existentialist Philosophy, this thesis presents a comparative interpretation on the common issue of alienation, which both The Metamorphosis and The Breast center upon, and explores profound thoughts behind the difference.The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter one makes a brief introduction to Philip Roth and The Breast, Franz Kafka and The Metamorphosis, the literary review and relevant theories. Chapter two traces the historical origins of the metamorphosis, from ancient myths to modern novels, and analyses the relation between metamorphosis in myths and that in novels. Chapter three discusses different images of metamorphosis in The Breast and The Metamorphosis and explores reasons for producing different images of "the gigantic beetle" and "the breast". Chapter four mainly explores alienated relationship between human and society, which is separately embodied on the restraint of civilized sexual morality upon David and the suppression of alienated labors upon Gregor. Chapter five focuses on alienated relationship among people, which included three kinds of distorted relationships. Firstly, Gregor's self-deception represents the distorted relationship between individual and self. Secondly, the parasitic relationship of the Samsa family embodies the alienated relationship between individual and others. Lastly, the opposite relation of the suppression of sexual desire and sexual existence as one of human instincts reflects the alienated relationship between individual and human instincts and survival dilemma of human. Chapter six is a conclusion, covering a summary and the realistic meaning of the research.The author of this thesis holds that Kafka represented a kind of tragically negative mind that people couldn't escape from the alienated world while Roth represented a kind of positive mind that people should be a brave rebel struggling for survival in despair. He propagated the human-oriented ideology of humanism respecting for human nature, and criticized the asceticism of treating the secular life and sexual desires as evil advocated by feudalism while affirming the substantive human right of gaining joy. The comparative interpretation on their different attitudes towards alienation in modern society has instructive significance for modern people living under heavy pressure. Should people sinking into survival dilemma resist firmly it as a brave rebel or yield to it with falling into line with the majority of others? This is a question.