Now, encased in the form of a bug, Gregor has become the ultimate symbol of

alienation–not just from his family or society but particularly from himself.
Kafka’s novella primarily deals with estrangement and the fragility of human
relationships. Although Kafka never explicitly explains why Gregor Samsa transforms
into an insect, one interpretation is that it symbolizes his selfless sacrifice and
estrangement from his own identity and those around him. He took the burden of
providing for his family on himself. And his family willingly conformed to this
arrangement, eventually taking his efforts for granted. But when he was unable to
perform his duties because of what he had become, his family treated him as a
liability, despite his many years of commitment to his family’s wellbeing without
question. Gregor is the quintessential people-pleaser. But the way his family
treated him after he lost his ability to provide for them shows that pleasing
others could be a one-way street. And even if we obtain these things in our quest
for approval and acceptance, they may be fleeting.