Desire, Lack, and the Objet Petit a: Gregor Samsa’s Transformation and the Lacanian Dialectic of Desire

This paper explores Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis as a Lacanian allegory of desire, focusing on the themes of identity, the unattainable object of desire (objet petit a), and the necessity of exclusion within the symbolic order. By analyzing Gregor Samsa's transformation into an insect, the study highlights how Kafka's narrative exemplifies Lacan's concept of the subject's fragmented identity and the inherent lack that structures human existence. Gregor's metamorphosis symbolizes the impossibility of fulfilling desire, as his physical transformation mirrors his internal dissonance and inability to reconcile his desires with societal expectations. Furthermore, the paper examines how Gregor's eventual death serves as a manifestation of Lacan's theory of exclusion, where the family's survival and the stability of the symbolic order are ensured through the expulsion of the “real” — Gregor's monstrous form. Ultimately, The Metamorphosis reinforces Lacan's assertion that identity is never stable and that desire remains an elusive, unfulfilled pursuit that shapes and destabilizes the human subject.