This passage depicts one of the pivotal moments in the Metamorphosis in which Gregor loses another piece of his humanity. An important image in the book is that of Gregor’s sweet bowl of milk. After Gregor’s transformation he longs for the bowl of milk as a way to hold on to his humanity as this is one of the symbols of his lost self. This is something that Gregor the working man enjoyed and symbolizes what Gregor no longer is. Therefore this quote is important because it shows that Gregor slowly becoming inside what his outside has already transformed into. The refusal of fresh food that he would have quickly indulged in as a human shows that Gregor is conforming to his shell. By eating the rotten vegetables and spoiled food because he enjoys the smell and it has become appealing to him, it shows that Gregor is losing sight of himself. He is also far less introspective, a prevalent literary element in the rest of the story. The moment he realizes he is vermin the story is riddled with Gregor’s almost comical deadpan description and reflection on his newfound condition. However, this passage is lacking that aspect; it is mainly the omniscient narrator who tells of this event, despite it’s importance; suggesting Gregor would have a lot to say on the subject.