Allegorical MetamorphosisMetamorphosis is the transformation of an insect from its immature form to its adult form. Although this term is commonly used in biology, Franz Kafka uses it to title his peculiar story. This is the story of a young man named Gregor Samsa, who is a street vendor. He is a typical hardworking man trying to pay off debts. However, one morning he wakes up as a human-sized cockroach. His parents see him as a beetle and react negatively, but his sister Grete isn't that worried. In the following months, she helps him overcome the change. Without Gregor working, the family suffers financially. Gregor dies from an apple thrown by his father. Surprisingly, the families' lives improve after Gregor's death. Historical literary theory explores the cultural background of the time or the background of the author. The author's background is extremely appropriate to apply for the book Kafka's Metamorphoses because various characters in the book are reproductions of individuals in his personal life. The psychological theory of literature is the analysis of the book from the psychological point of view. By applying psychoanalysis to the Metamorphosis it is possible to decode the characters of the novel with many details. Applying critical literary theories to Kafka's Metamorphosis allows readers to gain insight into the author's life, and psychoanalysis of concepts can enrich our understanding of the work. Application of Historical Literary Theory: Author's Background The Metamorphosis is one of Franz Kafka's most important works. It describes the challenges faced in contemporary society, even though humans may not wake up as insects in real life, individuals experience forms of change. The protagonist of the story is a representation of Kafka himself. Friend... middle of paper... harmful, for example; when using historical-literary theory, one can neglect the art of the book and reduce it to a biographical or historical vision, in the same way, when looking at the book from a psychological point of view, one can neglect to understand the book as a art itself. Metamorphosis is a book that can be an allegory for individuals in society who are going through change and it is society's job to encourage positive change. BibliographyBarfi, Z. (2013). A study on Kafka's metamorphosis in the light of Freudian psychological theory. Journal of Recent Science Research. 2(10), 107-109. Retrieved from http://www.isca.in/ Kafka, F. (1999). The Metamorphosis. [e-book] Planet eBook. Retrieved from http://www.planetebook.com/Kerr, CA (2009). Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis". Literary Contexts in Short Stories, 1. Retrieved from http://ebscohost.com