The cataclysm of World War I stands as a pivotal moment for the expressionist movement. In the aftermath of this seismic conflict, expressionist literature often captured the fervent struggle to carve out a hopeful new future for Germany. This period of writing celebrated the emergence of a "new man," heralded a "new vision," and dreamed of a "new society." Toller’s play The Transformation embodies a significant thread of early postwar expressionist theater, as it illustrates how an individual's spiritual awakening can mirror a nation's rebirth.

Crafted in the stationendrama style, The Transformation traces the protagonist's spiritual journey through a series of evocative vignettes, bound together solely by his personal experiences. Friedrich, the central character, is portrayed as a young Jewish sculptor who evolves from a disenchanted, wandering artist into a committed ally of the working class, discovering a cause worthy of his life and sacrifice. As the drama concludes, Friedrich passionately exhorts the masses to construct a society founded on compassion and justice, urging them to shed the chains of capitalist oppression.

Expressionist literature bursts with characters and narrators who fervently quest for purpose and truth within their lives. Often, they awaken to a startling revelation that the existence they've known is a mere facade. Driven by a significant sign, a twist of fate, or sheer determination, they endeavor to transform their destiny. In the works of Kaiser, for instance, characters grapple with daunting decisions to reclaim their lost authenticity. His play The Burghers of Calais vividly portrays a protagonist who sacrifices himself so that his fellow citizens might endure. Another of Kaiser's creations, From Morn till Midnight (1917), similarly explores a protagonist's pursuit of rebirth through self-sacrifice. Across much of expressionist literature, it is the odyssey itself, rather than the destination, that holds the greatest significance.

The expressionists, driven by a fervent quest to unveil truth, boldly confronted what they perceived as society's duplicitous stance on sex and sexuality. Strindberg, Reinhard, and most notably Wedekind, delved deeply into the ways in which societal norms stifled humanity's vital essence by either ignoring or suppressing natural desires. Wedekind, drawing inspiration from the revolutionary thoughts of Strindberg and Nietzsche, emerged as the fiercest critic of bourgeois morality within his theatrical works.

In his groundbreaking drama Spring’s Awakening, Wedekind casts a harsh light on institutions like the German school system, portraying them as deceitful and blindly malevolent forces striving to keep the youth oblivious to their own sexual nature. Meanwhile, his "Lulu" plays celebrate the vibrant force of sexuality, with the eponymous character ardently pursuing a life filled with passionate intensity. Among expressionist writers, none so fervently championed Nietzsche’s exhortation for humanity to embrace life's raw energy and primal instincts.

In the era preceding the tumult of World War I, expressionist literature frequently captured the profound disconnection experienced with both family and society, often portrayed in ways reminiscent of youthful rebellion. Yet, as the world emerged from the shadows of war, this sense of estrangement took on a sharper focus, aimed directly at the state itself. A prime example lies in Kafka's unforgettable characters, like Gregor Samsa, who find themselves cast out by their own kin for failing to meet the rigid expectations of familial roles.

The majority of expressionist authors hailed from middle-class backgrounds, families that personified the very duality and deception the writers vehemently criticized through their narratives. Following in their footsteps were playwrights like Kaiser and Toller, who began to shine a spotlight on the alienation festering among the working class. Kaiser's compelling Gas trilogy vividly illustrates the ruthless inequities of Wilhelmian capitalism, exposing a system rotten at its core, where owners and laborers are set against each other, with the workers left without claim to the fruits of their toil.

The narrative of struggle and dehumanization echoed in Lang's adaptation of the trilogy into the iconic 1927 film, Metropolis, a stark reminder of the perilous direction of a society that allows the unfettered advancement of technology without regard for its human cost.