A number of stories throughout the history of occidental societies tie the notions of desperation and isolation to the beginning of a spiritual journey. These experiences may trigger an inciting incident that would send a protagonist into the search of consolidation between their internal and external universes. Works of both Lynch and Kafka share the sense of confusion of the ways of the world, estrangement from one’s surrounding, and bizarre horror of the human condition.
Whether or not the protagonists reach the state of enlightenment is a debatable issue; nevertheless, their experiences may be potentially assimilated to those that the allegedly enlightened undergo. For instance, the pain that Siddhartha Gautama experienced, even though indirectly, when he first left the parental palace pushed him to the path of enlightenment (Nadeem 87). A substantial amount of suffering that pushes a person to the point of near destruction but no further seems like an essential component found in many narratives.
The ambience of hopelessness and anguish encloses the journeys of both Gregor and Henry. Even though the situations that push the characters towards alienation are entirely different in their essence, powerlessness is a shared experience between them. Under the weight of circumstances, the protagonists are bound to delve into misery inflicted both by themselves and forces of the society – this state is what drives the spiritual journey of the characters.
In the search for spiritual meaningfulness, an individual, seemingly, is constrained to examine their lives, be it a mindful revision or one that occurs on the outskirts of consciousness. The depictions of Gregor and Henry show them as unreflective characters, unquestioning the cause and effect relationships in their lives. Gregor’s docility and acceptance of his condition serve as a pivot for the spiritual journey.
Even though Gregor’s transformation is not the one into an enlightened person (the same applies to Henry), suffering in other cases may be a catalyst for a different kind of metamorphosis. Kafka’s disheartenment with the world makes this transition for Gregor somewhat unimaginable. It seems that the elements of the process that follow this initial step are extremely peculiar to every individual. Enlightenment, as it is viewed through occidental perception, may appear as an artificial and unattainable state.
Works Cited
Reyaz, Nadeem. Buddha As Prophet: A True Biography. Kdp Print Us, 2017.