Analysis of Portrayal of the Protagonists in Kafkaâs The Metamorphosis and Abeâs The Face of Another Through Sartreâs Concept of Alienation.
ABSTRACT
Skripsi ini menganalisis dua buah novel, yaitu The Metamorphosis karya
Franz Kafka, dan The Face of Another karangan Kobo Abe. Fokus utama analisis
adalah penggambaran watak tokoh utama kedua novel di atas dan kaitannya
dengan teori pengasingan dari filsuf Jean-Paul Sartre.
Kedua novel tersebut berkisah tentang seseorang yang terasingkan dari
orang-orang di sekitarnya. Kedua tokoh utama sama-sama terasingkan karena
penampilan fisik mereka. Akan tetapi, sifat-sifat mereka sendiri juga
menyebabkan mereka merasa terasingkan. Masing-masing tokoh menghadapi
pengasingan dengan cara yang berbeda. Tokoh Gregor dalam The Metamorphosis
tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa karena wujudnya yang bukan lagi manusia, sementara
tokoh tak bernama dalam The Face of Another berusaha untuk berbaur kembali
dengan masyarakat lewat penciptaan topeng yang sangat menyerupai wajah
manusia. Di akhir cerita, kedua tokoh tersebut tetap tidak dapat diterima kembali
oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya.
Analisis kedua tokoh tersebut mendukung teori Sartre yang mengatakan
bahwa pengasingan berasal dari dalam diri seseorang yang sadar bahwa dirinya
dinilai orang lain dan yang melihat dirinya sendiri melalui pandangan orang lain.
iv
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………….......
ii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………
iv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ……………………………………………
Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………
Purpose of the Study ………………………………………………...
Method of Research ………………………………………………....
Organization of the Thesis …………………………………………..
1
3
3
4
4
CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Existentialism ......................................................................................
Alienation and Shame ……………………………………………….
5
6
CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
PROTAGONIST IN THE METAMORPHOSIS ………………….
9
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
PROTAGONIST IN THE FACE OF ANOTHER ………………..
19
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION ………………………………………... 30
BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………... 34
ii
Maranatha Christian University
APPENDICES
Synopsis of The Metamorphosis ……………………………………
Synopsis of The Face of Another …………………………………...
Biography of Franz Kafka …………………………………………..
Biography of Kobo Abe ………………….........................................
iii
36
37
38
39
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Humans possess an inherent capability of questioning everything around
them. Back in the ancient times prior to Common Era, a number of great thinkers
of the Western World such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle contemplated, from
their own different perspectives, the meaning of the universe and all that exists in
it. Their philosophical views influenced many modern schools of thought,
including existentialism. In general, existentialism focuses on the individual
existence and freedom in searching for the meaning of life, which will be
elaborated more in the next chapter.
Many writers reflect the philosophy of existentialism in their works,
although most of them never pigeonhole themselves as existentialists – one of
them is Czech writer Franz Kafka. He is considered by many one of the most
influential writers of the twentieth century. The surreal and enigmatic realm of his
fictions and the clarity of his style make Kafka a major figure of modern
1
Maranatha Christian University
literature. His name has lent itself to the English term “Kafkaesque,” which is
widely used to refer to something that has the absurd and nightmarish qualities of
his writing (“Franz Kafka Biography”). His work has influenced many critically
acclaimed writers, including Albert Camus, Gabriel García Márquez, and Haruki
Murakami.
Similar to Kafka, Japanese writer Kobo Abe is an important figure in
contemporary literature whose writings also echo the idea of existentialism. Abe’s
works have been often compared to those of Kafka and Samuel Beckett for their
surreal and grotesque images of the contemporary society (“Kobo Abe facts”).
Before his death in 1993, Abe earned prestigious Japanese literary awards, namely
the Akutagawa Prize, the Yomiuri prize, and the Tanizaki prize (“Abe Kobo”).
His works have all been best sellers in Japan; some of them have been translated
into English, and adapted into full-feature films.
The majority of both Kafka’s and Abe’s works have the recurring theme
of alienation (“Kobo Abe facts”), which is one of the main issues of existentialism
that will be discussed in Chapter Two. There are several concepts of alienation in
philosophy; therefore, it is important to clarify that the concept used in this thesis
is the one by Jean-Paul Sartre, which will also be explained in the next chapter.
Sartre’s concept of alienation is reflected in Kafka’s most famous novella The
Metamorphosis (1915), which tells the story of a man who, upon discovering he
has transformed into an insect, is more concerned about not being able to work
than solving the mystery of his transformation.
It is also evident in Abe’s
critically acclaimed novel The Face of Another (1964), which revolves around a
2
Maranatha Christian University
scientist with a deformed face who creates a life-like mask to cope with human
estrangement.
Not only do Kafka and Abe share similarities in their theme of alienation,
but they also share strength in the portrayal of the protagonists. Portrayal, which is
the way an author presents a character (Kenney 34), is distinctive in both Kafka’s
and Abe’s works. Kafka’s typical protagonist is confused, hopeless, guilt-ridden,
frustrated, and lacking in understanding of their surreal world. Abe’s typical
protagonist, on the other hand, is a persistent individual who attempts to
rationalise the absurdity of the world (Keffer).
Thus, this thesis will analyse the portrayal of the protagonists of Franz
Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Kobo Abe’s The Face of Another using Sartre’s
concept of alienation.
Statement of the Problem
The problems to analyse in this study are:
1.
How do the authors portray the protagonists?
2.
What are the purposes of the authors in creating such protagonists?
Purpose of the Study
Based on the statements of the problem above, this study is done:
1.
To reveal the characteristics of the protagonists.
2.
To reveal the purposes of the authors in creating such protagonists.
3
Maranatha Christian University
Method of Research
I use library research that includes reading and understanding the primary
texts, which are the novels, and other references, in order to make an objective
and non-superficial analysis in the process of the study. Next, I analyse the
portrayal of the protagonist in each of the novels. Lastly, I draw some conclusions
from my analysis.
Organization of the Thesis
The thesis is divided into five chapters, which are preceded by Abstract.
Chapter One is Introduction, which consists of Background of the Study,
Statement of the Problem, Purpose of the Study, Method of Research, and
Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two contains the elaboration of the
theoretical framework. Chapter Three contains the analysis of the portrayal of the
protagonist in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Chapter Four contains the
analysis of the portrayal of the protagonist in Kobo Abe’s The Face of Another.
Chapter Five contains the conclusion of the analyses. The thesis ends with
Bibliography and Appendices, which consists of the summary of the two novels
and the biographies of the authors.
4
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
Based on the analyses of the protagonists of The Metamorphosis and The
Face of Another I present in this thesis, I will now provide a number of
conclusions. As I have stated in the beginning, the purpose of the analysis is to
show how the authors portray the protagonists and what the purpose of the authors
is in creating such characters.
First, we follow the story of Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis, which
begins with Gregor waking up as a giant insect. He is a static character with
selflessness and dutifulness as his major traits. Instead of questioning the mystery
of his physical transformation, he desperately tries to get back to work so that he
can provide for his family. He prioritises his family’s well-being than his own as
he is a selfless person. Besides being selfless, he is also a dutiful son and
breadwinner; he tries his best to meet his family’s needs despite his
discontentment of his job. Upon discovering Gregor’s metamorphosis, his family
isolates him because of his frightening physical form; they isolate him in his room
30
Maranatha Christian University
as they cannot bear the sight of him. Thus, Gregor experiences alienation that is
by his physical appearance. However, he also experiences a different kind of
alienation, one that is actually a non-direct consequence of his characteristics, and
it is not only estrangement from others but also from his own self. His selflessness
and dutifulness come with an awareness that he is an object of judgment by his
family, and make him sees himself the way his family sees him, which in Sartrean
term is known as shame. Because of the metamorphosis, Gregor’s family sees him
as a worthless, horrifying creature. Moreover, prior to Gregor’s metamorphosis,
they only see him as the breadwinner of the family. By seeing him that way, they
deny the possibilities of Gregor as a complex individual, which alienates Gregor.
Next, in The Face of Another, we follow a nameless scientist with a
deformed face who narrates the story. He is a static character portrayed as an
obsessive and observant person. As an observant individual, he notices how
people, including his own wife, behave in an alienating way towards him after the
accident that costs him his face. The way people alienate him makes him obsessed
with face and its significance in the society. Then the narrator creates a new face
to cope with his alienation. Although his appearance is the obvious, visible cause
of his alienation from others, his being obsessive and observant also alienates him
from both others and himself. From the way people behave towards him, he is
aware that people judge him and see him as a monster, which indicates that he has
the Sartrean shame. He sees himself the way people see him even though he
personally believes that a man’s worth is not determined by his looks. Thus, he
experiences alienation that is actually caused by his own characteristics.
31
Maranatha Christian University
The purpose of the authors in creating such characters is to illustrate how
alienation comes from within an individual. Both stories show how the
protagonists are being estranged by the people around them because of the outer
part of the individual, which is their physical appearance. However, if analysed
with Sartre’s concept of alienation, the source of alienation is actually from the
inner part of the individual. Their characteristics induce shame, which means they
realise that they are judged by others and see themselves the way others see them.
The feeling of shame eventually leads to alienation, which affects an individual in
determining one’s own existence. As depicted in the novels, alienation
overwhelms the protagonists without them realising it. Being estranged from
others, Gregor gradually loses his will to live, and the narrator becomes consumed
by a conviction that is against his own. Thus, in my opinion, it is an implication
that humans have a subconscious need for connecting with others, and that the
existence of others has an impact on an individual’s existence.
The Metamorphosis and The Face of Another share some similarities.
Both novels revolve around individuals who experience alienation. Moreover, the
alienation they experience is a consequence of not only their appearances, but also
their characteristics; in the Sartrean term, both protagonists experience shame,
which leads to alienation. Furthermore, both protagonists share a similar fate: they
end up alone and cannot overcome their alienation. Gregor dies on his own inside
his room; the narrator is left alone by his wife.
Besides similarities, there is also a contrast between the two novels. The
difference lies in how the protagonists deal with alienation. Gregor is helpless as
32
Maranatha Christian University
he is trapped in his insect body whereas the narrator tries to overcome it by
creating a mask, although he eventually fails to achieve his goal, which is to
connect with his wife and other people.
Finally, in my opinion, The Metamorphosis is better than The Face of
Another. In terms of its relevance with Sartre’s concept of alienation, The
Metamorphosis depicts Sartrean shame more aptly. Gregor is an individual who
willingly accepts what others think of him whereas the narrator of The Face of
Another constantly denies other people’s opinion of him. More generally
speaking, the absurd nature of the first novel leaves more spaces for the readers to
explore and interpret aspects of the story, such as the reason as to why Gregor
metamorphoses, why he takes the physical form of an insect, what the
significance of the painting in Gregor’s room is, and so on. In that way, it is more
involving for the readers on a personal level. However, it is undeniable that The
Face of Another also has its own room for interpretations. Nonetheless, it is more
realistic; therefore, the interpretations are more limited. Furthermore, in terms of
universality, The Metamorphosis is more universal. Although it is written with
European background, international readers will find it easy to relate themselves
to the novel. The Face of Another, on the other hand, contains a few aspects that
are specific to Japanese culture so that the readers from outside the culture will
need to acquire additional knowledge to grasp the context and essence of the story
better.
33
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary texts
Abe, Kobo. The Face of Another. Trans. E. Dale Saunders. New York: Vintage,
2003. Print.
Kafka, Franz. The Complete Stories. Trans. Willa and Edwin Muir. Prague:
Schocken Books Inc., 1995. Print.
References
“Abe Kobo.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p. n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Davachi, Azadeh. “Existential Absurdity and Alienation in Kafka’s The
Metamorphosis and Hedayat’s The Blind Owl.” Universiti Putra Malaysia
Institutional Repository. Universiti Putra Malaysia, 2010. Web. 25 Apr.
2015.
“Dutiful.” Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Existentialism.” The Basics of Philosophy. N.p. n.d. Web. 23. Aug. 2015.
“Franz Kafka.” Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
“Franz Kafka Biography.” Biography. N.p. n.d. 2016. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.
“Introducing The World Of Noh.” The Noh. N.p. n.d. 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.
“Kafka’s Life (1883-1924).” The Kafka Project. N.p. n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Maranatha Christian University
Keffer, David. “Kobo Abe.” The Modern Word. N.p. n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Kenney, William. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: Monarch Press, 1966.
Print.
“Kobo Abe facts.” YourDictionary. N.p. n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Lavine, T. Z. From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest. New York:
Bantam, 1985. PDF file.
“Observant,” Def. 1. Merriam-Webster. Web. 29 May 2016.
“Obsessive.” Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness. Trans. Hazel E. Barnes. New York:
The Philosophical Library, 1993. PDF file.
“Selfless.” Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Shame,” Def. 1. Oxford Dictionaries. Web. 7 May 2016.
Zahavi, Dan. "Shame and the exposed self. " In J. Webber (ed.): Reading Sartre:
On Phenomenology and Existentialism. London: Routledge, 2010, 213-214.
Maranatha Christian University
Skripsi ini menganalisis dua buah novel, yaitu The Metamorphosis karya
Franz Kafka, dan The Face of Another karangan Kobo Abe. Fokus utama analisis
adalah penggambaran watak tokoh utama kedua novel di atas dan kaitannya
dengan teori pengasingan dari filsuf Jean-Paul Sartre.
Kedua novel tersebut berkisah tentang seseorang yang terasingkan dari
orang-orang di sekitarnya. Kedua tokoh utama sama-sama terasingkan karena
penampilan fisik mereka. Akan tetapi, sifat-sifat mereka sendiri juga
menyebabkan mereka merasa terasingkan. Masing-masing tokoh menghadapi
pengasingan dengan cara yang berbeda. Tokoh Gregor dalam The Metamorphosis
tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa karena wujudnya yang bukan lagi manusia, sementara
tokoh tak bernama dalam The Face of Another berusaha untuk berbaur kembali
dengan masyarakat lewat penciptaan topeng yang sangat menyerupai wajah
manusia. Di akhir cerita, kedua tokoh tersebut tetap tidak dapat diterima kembali
oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya.
Analisis kedua tokoh tersebut mendukung teori Sartre yang mengatakan
bahwa pengasingan berasal dari dalam diri seseorang yang sadar bahwa dirinya
dinilai orang lain dan yang melihat dirinya sendiri melalui pandangan orang lain.
iv
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………….......
ii
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………
iv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study ……………………………………………
Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………
Purpose of the Study ………………………………………………...
Method of Research ………………………………………………....
Organization of the Thesis …………………………………………..
1
3
3
4
4
CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Existentialism ......................................................................................
Alienation and Shame ……………………………………………….
5
6
CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
PROTAGONIST IN THE METAMORPHOSIS ………………….
9
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF THE PORTRAYAL OF THE
PROTAGONIST IN THE FACE OF ANOTHER ………………..
19
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION ………………………………………... 30
BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………... 34
ii
Maranatha Christian University
APPENDICES
Synopsis of The Metamorphosis ……………………………………
Synopsis of The Face of Another …………………………………...
Biography of Franz Kafka …………………………………………..
Biography of Kobo Abe ………………….........................................
iii
36
37
38
39
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Humans possess an inherent capability of questioning everything around
them. Back in the ancient times prior to Common Era, a number of great thinkers
of the Western World such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle contemplated, from
their own different perspectives, the meaning of the universe and all that exists in
it. Their philosophical views influenced many modern schools of thought,
including existentialism. In general, existentialism focuses on the individual
existence and freedom in searching for the meaning of life, which will be
elaborated more in the next chapter.
Many writers reflect the philosophy of existentialism in their works,
although most of them never pigeonhole themselves as existentialists – one of
them is Czech writer Franz Kafka. He is considered by many one of the most
influential writers of the twentieth century. The surreal and enigmatic realm of his
fictions and the clarity of his style make Kafka a major figure of modern
1
Maranatha Christian University
literature. His name has lent itself to the English term “Kafkaesque,” which is
widely used to refer to something that has the absurd and nightmarish qualities of
his writing (“Franz Kafka Biography”). His work has influenced many critically
acclaimed writers, including Albert Camus, Gabriel García Márquez, and Haruki
Murakami.
Similar to Kafka, Japanese writer Kobo Abe is an important figure in
contemporary literature whose writings also echo the idea of existentialism. Abe’s
works have been often compared to those of Kafka and Samuel Beckett for their
surreal and grotesque images of the contemporary society (“Kobo Abe facts”).
Before his death in 1993, Abe earned prestigious Japanese literary awards, namely
the Akutagawa Prize, the Yomiuri prize, and the Tanizaki prize (“Abe Kobo”).
His works have all been best sellers in Japan; some of them have been translated
into English, and adapted into full-feature films.
The majority of both Kafka’s and Abe’s works have the recurring theme
of alienation (“Kobo Abe facts”), which is one of the main issues of existentialism
that will be discussed in Chapter Two. There are several concepts of alienation in
philosophy; therefore, it is important to clarify that the concept used in this thesis
is the one by Jean-Paul Sartre, which will also be explained in the next chapter.
Sartre’s concept of alienation is reflected in Kafka’s most famous novella The
Metamorphosis (1915), which tells the story of a man who, upon discovering he
has transformed into an insect, is more concerned about not being able to work
than solving the mystery of his transformation.
It is also evident in Abe’s
critically acclaimed novel The Face of Another (1964), which revolves around a
2
Maranatha Christian University
scientist with a deformed face who creates a life-like mask to cope with human
estrangement.
Not only do Kafka and Abe share similarities in their theme of alienation,
but they also share strength in the portrayal of the protagonists. Portrayal, which is
the way an author presents a character (Kenney 34), is distinctive in both Kafka’s
and Abe’s works. Kafka’s typical protagonist is confused, hopeless, guilt-ridden,
frustrated, and lacking in understanding of their surreal world. Abe’s typical
protagonist, on the other hand, is a persistent individual who attempts to
rationalise the absurdity of the world (Keffer).
Thus, this thesis will analyse the portrayal of the protagonists of Franz
Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Kobo Abe’s The Face of Another using Sartre’s
concept of alienation.
Statement of the Problem
The problems to analyse in this study are:
1.
How do the authors portray the protagonists?
2.
What are the purposes of the authors in creating such protagonists?
Purpose of the Study
Based on the statements of the problem above, this study is done:
1.
To reveal the characteristics of the protagonists.
2.
To reveal the purposes of the authors in creating such protagonists.
3
Maranatha Christian University
Method of Research
I use library research that includes reading and understanding the primary
texts, which are the novels, and other references, in order to make an objective
and non-superficial analysis in the process of the study. Next, I analyse the
portrayal of the protagonist in each of the novels. Lastly, I draw some conclusions
from my analysis.
Organization of the Thesis
The thesis is divided into five chapters, which are preceded by Abstract.
Chapter One is Introduction, which consists of Background of the Study,
Statement of the Problem, Purpose of the Study, Method of Research, and
Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two contains the elaboration of the
theoretical framework. Chapter Three contains the analysis of the portrayal of the
protagonist in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Chapter Four contains the
analysis of the portrayal of the protagonist in Kobo Abe’s The Face of Another.
Chapter Five contains the conclusion of the analyses. The thesis ends with
Bibliography and Appendices, which consists of the summary of the two novels
and the biographies of the authors.
4
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
Based on the analyses of the protagonists of The Metamorphosis and The
Face of Another I present in this thesis, I will now provide a number of
conclusions. As I have stated in the beginning, the purpose of the analysis is to
show how the authors portray the protagonists and what the purpose of the authors
is in creating such characters.
First, we follow the story of Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis, which
begins with Gregor waking up as a giant insect. He is a static character with
selflessness and dutifulness as his major traits. Instead of questioning the mystery
of his physical transformation, he desperately tries to get back to work so that he
can provide for his family. He prioritises his family’s well-being than his own as
he is a selfless person. Besides being selfless, he is also a dutiful son and
breadwinner; he tries his best to meet his family’s needs despite his
discontentment of his job. Upon discovering Gregor’s metamorphosis, his family
isolates him because of his frightening physical form; they isolate him in his room
30
Maranatha Christian University
as they cannot bear the sight of him. Thus, Gregor experiences alienation that is
by his physical appearance. However, he also experiences a different kind of
alienation, one that is actually a non-direct consequence of his characteristics, and
it is not only estrangement from others but also from his own self. His selflessness
and dutifulness come with an awareness that he is an object of judgment by his
family, and make him sees himself the way his family sees him, which in Sartrean
term is known as shame. Because of the metamorphosis, Gregor’s family sees him
as a worthless, horrifying creature. Moreover, prior to Gregor’s metamorphosis,
they only see him as the breadwinner of the family. By seeing him that way, they
deny the possibilities of Gregor as a complex individual, which alienates Gregor.
Next, in The Face of Another, we follow a nameless scientist with a
deformed face who narrates the story. He is a static character portrayed as an
obsessive and observant person. As an observant individual, he notices how
people, including his own wife, behave in an alienating way towards him after the
accident that costs him his face. The way people alienate him makes him obsessed
with face and its significance in the society. Then the narrator creates a new face
to cope with his alienation. Although his appearance is the obvious, visible cause
of his alienation from others, his being obsessive and observant also alienates him
from both others and himself. From the way people behave towards him, he is
aware that people judge him and see him as a monster, which indicates that he has
the Sartrean shame. He sees himself the way people see him even though he
personally believes that a man’s worth is not determined by his looks. Thus, he
experiences alienation that is actually caused by his own characteristics.
31
Maranatha Christian University
The purpose of the authors in creating such characters is to illustrate how
alienation comes from within an individual. Both stories show how the
protagonists are being estranged by the people around them because of the outer
part of the individual, which is their physical appearance. However, if analysed
with Sartre’s concept of alienation, the source of alienation is actually from the
inner part of the individual. Their characteristics induce shame, which means they
realise that they are judged by others and see themselves the way others see them.
The feeling of shame eventually leads to alienation, which affects an individual in
determining one’s own existence. As depicted in the novels, alienation
overwhelms the protagonists without them realising it. Being estranged from
others, Gregor gradually loses his will to live, and the narrator becomes consumed
by a conviction that is against his own. Thus, in my opinion, it is an implication
that humans have a subconscious need for connecting with others, and that the
existence of others has an impact on an individual’s existence.
The Metamorphosis and The Face of Another share some similarities.
Both novels revolve around individuals who experience alienation. Moreover, the
alienation they experience is a consequence of not only their appearances, but also
their characteristics; in the Sartrean term, both protagonists experience shame,
which leads to alienation. Furthermore, both protagonists share a similar fate: they
end up alone and cannot overcome their alienation. Gregor dies on his own inside
his room; the narrator is left alone by his wife.
Besides similarities, there is also a contrast between the two novels. The
difference lies in how the protagonists deal with alienation. Gregor is helpless as
32
Maranatha Christian University
he is trapped in his insect body whereas the narrator tries to overcome it by
creating a mask, although he eventually fails to achieve his goal, which is to
connect with his wife and other people.
Finally, in my opinion, The Metamorphosis is better than The Face of
Another. In terms of its relevance with Sartre’s concept of alienation, The
Metamorphosis depicts Sartrean shame more aptly. Gregor is an individual who
willingly accepts what others think of him whereas the narrator of The Face of
Another constantly denies other people’s opinion of him. More generally
speaking, the absurd nature of the first novel leaves more spaces for the readers to
explore and interpret aspects of the story, such as the reason as to why Gregor
metamorphoses, why he takes the physical form of an insect, what the
significance of the painting in Gregor’s room is, and so on. In that way, it is more
involving for the readers on a personal level. However, it is undeniable that The
Face of Another also has its own room for interpretations. Nonetheless, it is more
realistic; therefore, the interpretations are more limited. Furthermore, in terms of
universality, The Metamorphosis is more universal. Although it is written with
European background, international readers will find it easy to relate themselves
to the novel. The Face of Another, on the other hand, contains a few aspects that
are specific to Japanese culture so that the readers from outside the culture will
need to acquire additional knowledge to grasp the context and essence of the story
better.
33
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary texts
Abe, Kobo. The Face of Another. Trans. E. Dale Saunders. New York: Vintage,
2003. Print.
Kafka, Franz. The Complete Stories. Trans. Willa and Edwin Muir. Prague:
Schocken Books Inc., 1995. Print.
References
“Abe Kobo.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p. n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Davachi, Azadeh. “Existential Absurdity and Alienation in Kafka’s The
Metamorphosis and Hedayat’s The Blind Owl.” Universiti Putra Malaysia
Institutional Repository. Universiti Putra Malaysia, 2010. Web. 25 Apr.
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