Like death or abandonment, alienation is one of the most deep-rooted fears experienced by human beings. As social creatures, humans need to identify themselves as part of a group, be it a family, a culture, or a religion. The experience of alienation is that of the violation of a person's need for acceptance. Both Leo Tolstoy in The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Franz Kafka in Metamorphosis use alienation as a central theme to comment on the human need to experience love and acceptance. Both Ivan Ilyich and Gregor Samsa experience in their respective tragedies a great deal of alienation, separating them from the groups to which they have been comfortably attached for much of their lives. Both authors trace the theme of alienation by exposing the displacement experienced emotionally, psychologically and physically by their main characters. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe physical changes that afflicted both Ivan Ilyich and Gregor Samsa were the forces that perpetuated further alienation. These physical changes are important to note because they not only changed the appearance of the characters, but they also affected how those around them saw them and profoundly affected how men saw themselves and others. While the physical changes may seem like the least tragic part of both stories, physically distinguishing the men as different from those around them, the authors are better able to comment on the mental isolation that becomes the worst part of both men's misfortunes . The physical alienation experienced by both characters is therefore a stimulus for other forms of alienation that will subsequently affect Gregor and Ivan. Both men undergo disturbing physical transformations that change their lives. Gregor's physical change is immediately evident in the first sentence of Kafka's Metamorphoses. As soon as he wakes up, Gregor finds himself "transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect [. . .] lying on his hard shell-like back and [. . .] he could see his brown, curved belly, divided by stiff, arched ribs. "(Kafka 76). This physical transformation begins a series of events in which Gregor becomes alienated from his family and acquaintances. Gregor's transformation is all-encompassing; not only does he look completely different, but his voice, tastes and abilities have also undergone serious alterations. This complete physical change is only partially his physical alienation. Gregor is also physically distanced from those around him. He is physically isolated from his family as they lock him in a room and are unable to even look at his monstrous form. Gregor's shift from being a daily traveler with his job to being a literal prisoner in his home is one way in which the reader can identify with the drastic alienation Gregor experiences as a result of his physical transformation. The door to his bedroom becomes a barrier rather than an opening to the world, and the reader witnesses Gregor's great difficulty: "he desperately clenched his jaws on the key" (Kafka 86). Ivan's physical alienation is less dramatic than Gregor's, but he also begins a series of alienations. Instead of a dramatic alteration in appearance, Ivan's physical transformation is a slow deterioration of the body, which for much of the story is imperceptible. Although the illness causes Ivan pain, physical changes do not become apparent until nearly two-thirds of the way through the story, when his brother-in-law visits. Even Ivan is not aware of hisphysical transformation, as seen when his brother-in-law "opened his mouth to gasp but controlled himself" and Ivan asks, "What is it? Have I changed?" (Tolstoy 85). Ivan, like Gregor, is also physically isolated from his previous life. Even he being confined to his room after the onset of the disease hinders his previously sociable lifestyle, and he is forced to watch his loved ones go about "in a whirlwind of social activity" (Tolstoy 80). Tolstoy exposes the alienation his character feels during the long lonely hours in which Ivan constantly questions his misfortunes and rages against death while his family goes about their daily lives. The alienation experienced by both characters is also exposed through psychological methods. Both Ivan and Gregor experience changes in how they see themselves and their relationships with others. Although both constantly work to reduce the effects of the alienation they are experiencing, neither is able to maintain the psychology they had before bad luck struck. Ivan's realization of his mortality represents an extreme shift in his psychology and allows him to delve deeper into his previously superficial existence. For example, during a game of cards, which he enjoyed very much, Ivan watched and "saw how upset Mikhail Mikhailovich was while he didn't care. And it was terrible to think why he didn't care" (Tolstoy 82). . This change in Ivan further distances him from his acquaintances because they have not reached the same level of enlightenment as Ivan. This psychological alienation is yet another reminder of Ivan's separation from others. He has matured by dealing with his mortality, and his growth has placed a barrier between him and his friends. Gregor is psychologically alienated because, although he is an insect, he still has the mental processes of a human. This dichotomy demonstrates a difficult change in Gregor's psychological well-being. He is torn between the hope of returning to his human form and his comfort as a monstrous insect. A scene that marks his psychological alienation occurs when his sister and mother attempt to move furniture out of the room to facilitate Gregor's movements. Despite the advantage of having less furniture that prevents him from moving, Gregor's desire to keep his room as it was when he was human is overwhelming: "no doubt he would be free to crawl unhindered in all directions, but only at the price of a rapid and completely forgetting his human past" (Kafka 103). Another example of psychological alienation occurs upon Gregor's death. At this point in the story, the reader must realize everything that has happened to Gregor: not only has his physical form been irrevocably changed, but his place as caretaker of the house and his place in society have been altered. Gregor's last thoughts before death indicate the psychological alienation he feels. He no longer cares about his own well-being, but that of his family and "his opinion of having to disappear was if anything even firmer than that of his sister" (Kafka122). This psychological alienation forces Gregor to change his mind about his own importance. Both authors reveal that their main characters are also emotionally alienated from others. For example, Ivan's emotions are often kept hidden from those around him. Several times in the text, Tolstoy mentions to the reader that Ivan desires an emotional connection with those around him, but is unable to connect because he wishes to maintain a strong appearance in front of his colleagues. Even before learning of his impending death, Ivan is emotionally isolated from others, as revealed by his relationship with his wife and family. Ivan is emotional.