Transformation and Self-Discovery: Metamorphosis & A Dollhouse

that she had consumed any sweets or macaroons. Ibsen utilizes macaroons as a representation of Nora's defiance against Torvald. At this early stage in the play, Torvald easily accepts Nora's transgression, dismissing it as a joke when he questions her about her shopping activities.

The audience observes that consuming macaroons is not a significant offense and witnesses how Nora's violation of this rule does not provoke Torvald, as he lovingly questions Nora. Although it may appear as a slight act of disobedience at the beginning of the play, Nora purchases the macaroons to gratify her craving for something sweet, revealing her willingness to defy rules in order to fulfill her personal desires. Moreover, aside from satisfying her need for sugary treats, Nora also derives pleasure from breaking the rule.

In Ibsen's play, Torvald is portrayed as a controlling character who establishes rules for Nora and treats her like a pet, referring to her as a "little squirrel" or "skylark" (Ibsen). To evade her husband's control, Nora uses food as a means of escapism, finding pleasure in rebelling over something seemingly insignificant. Although purchasing macaroons does not heavily strain the family's finances due to their stable middle-class situation, Nora still chooses to deceive Torvald about this minor transgression.

Ibsen illustrates Nora as deceitful due to her actions regarding the food, revealing how she initially finds enjoyment in both breaking a small rule and lying about it. This initial act of rule-breaking, wherein Nora indulges in macaroons, signifies her rebellious and unrestrained spirit, foretelling her transformation into an entirely autonomous woman who eventually departs from her family, spouse, and residence.

When Nora

demonstrates the significance of indulging herself with macaroons, it hints at her future freedom to act on her own accord. As the play progresses, Nora's propensity for indulgence reaches a point where she is unafraid to request "lots [of macaroons], just for once" from Helen for their feast, even in the presence of Helmer. The deceit concerning something as trivial as macaroons foreshadows her revelation as a character who has deceived others about a substantial financial scandal that violated the law.

In Act 1, Nora's rebellion began with a small act of buying macaroons. However, this act represented her desire for freedom not only from societal expectations but also from her familial responsibilities. She wanted to explore and determine her own beliefs and values separate from the world around her. The macaroons served as a temporary escape from her unhappy life with Torvald and foreshadowed her eventual departure from the confines of her domestic existence.

Metamorphosis by Kafka depicts the story of Gregor who, after transforming into a bug, faced rejection and imprisonment by his family. Stranded in his room, Gregor's attempts to leave were met with attack from his own family. During these moments of isolation, Gregor's sister Grete offered him his favorite human food - sweetened milk with bread. Surprisingly, this food failed to evoke any appeal in him. This led Grete to further provide him with various discarded food items which were considered garbage, such as old vegetables, bones, raisins, almonds, and cheese that Gregor had deemed inedible just days before. This act of Grete's reflects her love and sympathy towards Gregor, providing him with a temporary escape from

the reality of his bug-like existence and allowing him to hold onto his human nature. Conversely, Ibsen utilizes Gregor's unusual preference for garbage food to symbolize the dichotomy between his mind and body, highlighting how his body craves garbage against his own surprise and desires.

The food provided by Grete to Gregor serves as a symbolic representation of how someone acknowledges the presence of a human within Gregor. In that brief moment, Gregor maintains hope that his family will love him and acknowledge his humanity. However, this symbolism ultimately signifies an escape from the harsh reality, as his family gradually forgets about him and ceases to love him. Their perception of him transforms from a human being to a repulsive insect. Gregor's altering food preferences, shifting from milk and bread to garbage, further highlights the physical divide between his human and insect sides.

The fact that he looks like a gigantic pest and consumes garbage emphasizes his contrast with his relatives. His family perceives his switch from consuming human food to vermin food as a sign of him transforming into a creature. This alteration in Gregor's eating patterns foreshadows his family's belief that he has strayed too far from humanity, resulting in their diminishing concern and eventual disregard for his human nature.

Gregor’s family demonstrates their complete disregard for him by choosing to feed lodgers instead of their own son, who is seen as a monstrous creature. Gregor sadly observes how his family happily eats with the lodgers while he is left starving, stating to himself "these lodgers stuff themselves, and I am dying of hunger" (Kafka). The food that once provided

an escape from reality now serves as foreshadowing for Gregor's eventual separation from his family and ultimately, his death.

In Metamorphosis, the food symbolized a temporary escape from reality, as it denoted Gregor's separation from his body. This foreshadowed the ironic situation where Gregor became so disconnected from his own body that his family failed to recognize him in the bug's form. Gregor's eventual death represents his successful escape from the miserable life at home and his release from physical constraints. This release was anticipated by the temporary escape provided by the consumption of food.

Nora managed to break free from the oppressive life she had been living. Her escape differed from the confinement she experienced because she not only survived, but also started a new life with her newfound freedom. The first hint of her eventual escape came when she rebelled by purchasing and deceitfully hiding macaroons. Her rebellious nature continued to escalate as she openly bought macaroons in front of Torvald. Ultimately, she made the decision to physically leave Torvald, rather than using food as a temporary means of escape from reality.

Both protagonists in the play were able to escape their miserable realities by the end, with Nora's ending being slightly more positive. The symbolism of the food created by the authors foreshadowed this outcome, revealing the true character development in their works. By the end of the story, both characters had successfully escaped from reality. (Word Count: 1491)