Meursault, the protagonist in The Stranger, encounters a dilemma different than the anti-hero, Gregor Samsa, from The Metamorphosis does. As the main character transforms from a human being into a dung beetle or "vermin," it brings forth the question of physical versus emotional transformation. Although Gregor's metamorphosis helps him discover his status in the household, it disconnects his family from his support. On the other hand, the anti-hero in The Stranger, Meursault, lives his life "indifferent to human affairs" and his actions possess no rational order. His actions are strange to his society, a world that demands reason behind the behavior and motive behind the act.
Gregor does not like his job, his life or the way people treat him, yet he endures the daily unpleasantness because filial piety requires him to play his role. His role as a son demands him to help pay off his parents' debts and to send his sister, Grete, to a conservatorium because she loves music and is able to "play the violin soulfully" (29). In Gregor's opinion, his family needs him for financial support, but Kafka approaches this belief differently and has a