In more modern literature, authors like James Joyce and Franz Kafka have explored the complexities of the mother-son relationship. In Joyce's "Ulysses," the character of Leopold Bloom is deeply influenced by his mother, whose death has a profound impact on his life. Similarly, in Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, is trapped in a symbiotic relationship with his mother, which is both suffocating and enabling.