EXPRESSIVE AND STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONS OF PUNCTUATION IN FRANZ KAFKA’S THE METAMORPHOSIS: A LINGUISTIC AND STYLISTIC ANALYSIS
Abstract
This article explores the expressive, emotional, and structural functions of punctuation in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, examining how punctuation contributes to the construction of meaning, emotion, and psychological realism in the text. Kafka’s punctuation deviates from conventional grammatical norms, operating instead as a tool of expression that mirrors the protagonist’s fragmentation and alienation. Through a comparative linguistic and stylistic analysis of selected passages from the original German text and its English translations, this study demonstrates how punctuation reflects Gregor Samsa’s inner disintegration and emotional isolation. The findings reveal that commas, semicolons, ellipses, and dashes in Kafka’s prose carry symbolic weight, transforming syntax into a psychological and aesthetic medium.
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