Philosophical parallels in the novella "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka and the story "Lake Fish" by F. Bayramova

The article is dedicated to a comparative analysis of the novella "The Metamorphosis" (1912) by Austrian writer Franz Kafka and the story "Kül balığı" ("Lake Fish," 1984) by Tatar writer Fauziya Bayramova in the context of intertextuality and the tradition of representing animalistic/mythical metaphors, which serve the function of artistic generalization and reveal the authors' key socio-philosophical intentions. Despite cultural and temporal differences, these works are united by a common motif of metamorphosis and the problem of alienation. The research focuses on philosophical themes (parallels) and national-artistic differences in their presentation. The central theme of the study is the tragedy of an individual rejected by society due to their distinctive appearance. The research investigates the representation of the tragic collision between individual consciousness, marked as "other," and the repressive structures of collective society. The methodological framework of the study includes comparative, hermeneutic, philosophical, and cultural analysis, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the artistic world of the writers. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the story "Lake Fish" by Bayramova is analyzed in comparison with Kafka’s novella "The Metamorphosis" for the first time. As a result of the analysis conducted in this article, the researchers identified common motifs in the aforementioned works: metaphorical transformation, existential alienation of the individual, and loss of identity. Despite the similarity of the initial situation (the preservation of human consciousness in a "foreign" body — an insect in Kafka’s case and a fish-girl in Bayramova’s), the authors reveal the tragedy in different ways. Kafka, through absurdity and the normalization of the monstrous, depicts the passive acceptance of the protagonist's alienation in a soulless society, which gives rise to a sense of hopelessness. Bayramova, through psychological insight and "stream of consciousness," portrays the active, sacrificial protest of the heroine. Her tragedy is tied to the conflict between individuality and the collective, and the ending, despite the demise, leaves a tragic hope rooted in national mythology. The authors of the article emphasize that by relying on intellectual allegory, Bayramova elevates her story to the level of philosophical generalization about the loss of human essence, the problem of personal freedom, and the eternal conflict between individuality and the society.

The image of a pisces girl, the image of an insect, Transformation, The metamorphosis, psychology, The tragedy of loneliness, conflict, The literature of the absurd, philosophical prose, comparative analysis