Thesis Statement: The absence of a mother in the protagonist's life in Woman at Point Zero and The Metamorphosis contributes greatly to their alienation. 'All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my mother' -Abraham Lincoln.'1 Alienation: a withdrawal or separation of a person, or of a person's affections from an object or a position of prior attachment4 Alienation is a key theme present in Woman at Point Zero2 and The Metamorphosis3 by Nawaal El Saadawi and Franz Kafka respectively, approached in different ways Through the use of diction, imagery. , contrast and symbolism, this is greatly seen through the unusual bonds that Firdaus and Gregor share with their mothers throughout their lives Gregor from The Metamorphosis was raised in a society where men took charge, he being the sole breadwinner for his family at the time of his metamorphosis, he hated the fact that his family had to work and he was "toying with the idea that the next time the door was opened, he would take charge of affairs." of the family” (111) The idea of ​​wanting to take control suggests that he did not like the fact that “his mother had to do the cooking” (96) since he had always been responsible for the economic matters of the household. . The word "played" creates a feeling of self-pity or sorrow as it symbolizes Gregor's attitude towards his change in personality, which creates a poignant mood. Gregor is now more alone, without his mother's support as she also refuses to visit him; this creates an alienated symbolic atmosphere that develops as the novel progresses. Nawaal El Saadawi shows us how Firdaus from Woman At Point Zero did not share a normal relationship with her mother during the short time she lived with her. She notices her mother for the first time... middle of paper ......realizes her death. Similarly, when the prince criticizes Firdaus' mother for being a criminal, she firmly states that "my mother was not a criminal" (100). We see that Firdaus still has the same respect for his mother because she defends her completely. The diction choice of “my” creates an unbalanced contrast as Firdaus attempts to display his possessive love for his mother. She had lived like everyone else, a real woman, as a wife and as a prostitute. It can be suggested that it is for this reason that she regains the respect she had for her mother, lost during her life journey, when she realizes how important the survival of a woman in her culture was. truly a fight. Webster's All-In-One Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2008 edition2. Nawaal El Saadawi. “Woman at ground zero”. London: Zed Books Ltd, 19833. Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis and other stories.” England: Penguin Books, 1992