Book 1 of Metamorphoses is very similar to the Genesis stories of creation. In Metamorphoses, matter is described as chaotic before a "god and a greater order of nature" separates the elements and creates the organized world that is familiar to us today. Metamorphoses is more specific than Genesis was, it specifies the different regions of the earth and their climates as well as the winds. Another similarity between the two stories is the cleansing flood. The gods in Metamorphoses and God in Genesis feel that human kind  is a mistake and flood the earth to kill all of the evil that human kind has created. In both stories there are two human survivors who are virtuous in the eyes of the Gods.

Narcissus falls in love with the reflected image of himself. He can never have this other "person" because he is a reflection in the water. Every time Narcissus tries to touch "him" he puts his hand in the water and disturbs the image. This could be the basis for love in all human relationships because in order to love and accept another person one must love them self first. People, generally, look to have relationships with others who share some interests or personality traits and perhaps the story of Narcissus is that idea taken to the extreme.