The novella known as The Metamorphosis is an allegory, or a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. That being said, there is a lot of hidden symbolism in The Metamorphosis.

 

• The food: A symbol showing how he didn’t just change from being human physically, his senses were also altered.

 

• The apple: A physical representation of the burden of the parent's debt on Gregor. Also a representation of the burden that Kafka’s real dad placed on him.

 

• Gregor’s Room: In the end of part one, Gregor is locked into his room by his parents. The room that his parents lock him into represents his parents debt because it is something he is locked into and can’t escape.

 

• The doors/windows: The doors and windows are symbols of opportunities gregor would have if his family didn't keep him locked in his room (their debt). He sees what he could be doing but he just can't get to the outside world.

 

• Grete’s Violin: This symbolizes her innocence and purity. She is Gregor’s foil in the way that she is considered very beautiful and talented while Gregor is considered hideous and useless and is abandoned by society.

 

• “Monster/vermin”: This is how society sees Gregor. They see him as something that does not belong with them. This is also how he feels people see him.

 

• The couch: This is an object gregor uses to cover himself in the novella. The couch symbolises what Gregor uses to cover his true self. It is his facade to hide away his true self.