The human mind is so active that an individual experiences approximately 70,000 thoughts every day. These thoughts are often contradictory in nature, because the stream of consciousness does not easily divide thoughts into categories, and thoughts move freely in and out of the mind. The short story Metamorphosis by France Kafka powerfully presents a character confronted with two contradictory desires and character tendencies. Gregor is torn between his social desire to be human and to belong and a new animal side, which oppresses these social constructs. Kafka successfully uses furniture in Metamorphosis as a portal between these two sides, and how it helps but also hinders Gregor in retaining what remains of his humanity. This work by Franz Kafka can also be read as a critique of human inclination and the way individuals place too much value on social constructs, in terms of identity, relationships and values ​​- a subject which will be discussed in conclusion.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The contradictory tendencies of Gregor's character begin from the preamble of this short story when Gregor first wakes up in his transmogrified state . He is no longer a human, but a cockroach – an insect exaggeratedly less complex in terms of thought processes and thought-movement correspondence. Yet Gregor has no time to think about his new body and mind due to his family's constant questions about his absence from work. Gregor, in this frenzy, tries to contact his parents and the office manager to reassure them that he is fine. To do this, Gregor, still unaccustomed to his new physique, must use a chair to reach the door that leads to his room. “Gregor slowly pushed himself through the door with the chair, let go of it, and fell against the door…and rested for a moment from his efforts” (p. 99). It is clear that this task is not an easy one for Gregor, but he does not care about the excessive difficulty of this undertaking. Reaching his parents and the head clerk becomes even more difficult when Gregor tries to open the door; its thin, dangling arms are not strong enough to turn the doorknob and it does not have teeth to grip the doorknob. “Luckily, his jaws were very powerful...he had the key to move, and he didn't stop to consider that he was definitely hurting himself in some way, as a brown liquid was coming out of his mouth » (p. 99). Although Gregor appears to injure himself trying to open the door, his desire for social interaction outweighs the pain he feels. It is very clear here that a conflict between Gregor's social desire and his animal identity begins to arise. The main character's remaining human tendency is to cling to whatever social desires remain; that is, the desire to please one's family and not to disturb one's boss. “He really had in mind to open the door, show himself and talk to the office manager; he was impatient to know what the others, who were all clamoring for him, would say when they saw him” (p. 97). Gregor's only human identity is that of a salesman, and in a desperate attempt to hide his newfound animalism. , Gregor desperately tries to function as a human would. However, this new animal side challenges and opposes his social inclinations, calling into question the directness of Gregor's character. The use of furniture in this scene functions as a bridge between what he desires and where the capabilities of his actions lie. Gregor's dominant animal identity becomes..