The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a novella that explores various themes including alienation and identity through the unexpected transformation of its main character, Gregor Samsa. Gregor wakes up one morning to find that he has turned into a giant vermin: a dung beetle. The story explores Gregor's struggle to adapt to his new physical form and the implications this sudden metamorphosis holds for his family, shedding a strange light on certain societal expectations and familial responsibilities at that time.