The story revolves around Gregor Samsa who is a salesperson who travels a lot. He dislikes his job yet is compelled to maintain it in control to help his family and pay off his dad's obligations. He dreams of sending Grete (his sister) to the conservatory to contemplate violin. One morning he finds out that he has changed into an insect. Eventually, he turns into a burden for his family and is kept secured his room. This brings guilt into his mind, allowing his motives for isolation, punishment, and death in the end.
While we commonly see Gregor's death as a tragedy, it seems the family benefits from his passing. After Gregor’s death, the family leave the apartment together, something we haven't seen yet in the novella. They ride the tram together in the sunlight not having to worry about the burden that is their son. Complying with his boss’s order and on his pursuit to money and happiness Gregor felt discontent with life and lost his character. Yet, even before his metamorphosis Gregor had always been a “vermin” stepped on by authority and trapped by economic and social demands.
The ending shows the family’s point of view after Gregor’s death and their renewal, and how they change for the better by pushing through all the hardships they had. Even though considering the circumstances at the end to be generally feeling negative, there was never really that sense of mood as everything tied up the loose strings and left a positive message on how a family can go through many tragedies and struggles but still maintain to come out on top.