The novels The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo contain many family relationships. Some of these relationships are good, some are not. Fathers make the difference between good and bad relationships. Grete's violin and Dorotea's bassoon symbolize the characteristics that Gregor's father and Pedro Páramo lack. The author uses these symbols to show that humanity is not created through parental connections, but through mutual compassion. Dorotea's maternal instinct for a bundle of rebozo represents humanity and parental love. Dorotea takes care of the rebozo bundle with unconditional love, as if it were a child. “I could feel him in my arms, my sweet baby, with his little mouth and eyes and hands. For a long, long time I could feel his eyelids and the beating of his heart with my fingertips” (Rulfo 60). She sees this bundle as her child and therefore it becomes a source of comfort for her, because it allows her to establish a parent-child relationship. It is not the origin of the child that creates the relationship, but the relationship is formed because of Dorotea's unconditional love for the rebozo. The package also gives Dorotea something to feel connected to. Comala isolates Dorotea because she is considered crazy. His rebozo is often his only connection to others. “[Dorotea] gets up early every morning to come here for breakfast. It is she who rolls her bundle in her rebozo and sings, and calls him her child” (Rulfo 63). Her bundle allows her to love and be loved in return. This connection to something that can be loved allows her to retain her humanity in her isolation. In the Metamorphosis, Grete's violin symbolizes humanity. Gregor finds his humanity...... middle of paper...... that his father Gregor has compared to Grete, because it is ironic that a man without humanity wants to bring the emotions of music closer. Both Pedro and Gregor's father show little humanity compared to Dorotea's rebozo and Grete's violin. Through the author's use of symbols, readers can grasp the theme that humanity is not achieved through blood relationships, but only through the love and emotion shown in these relationships. Without true emotions and love, both Pedro Paramo and Gregor's father remain isolated, while Grete and Dorotea find humanity and companionship. Grete's violin symbolizes the passion and emotion needed by humanity. Dorothea's bundle symbolizes unconditional love and connections with others which are also necessary. These symbols allow readers to understand the father figure's lack of humanity.