The Metamorphosis
My rating
3 / 5
Self-Purchased copy
Author
Franz Kafka
Publisher
Vayu Education of India
Genre
Classic Fiction
Number of Pages
83
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Summary
The Metamorphosis (transformation) by Franz Kafka, published in 1915 is a short classic novel referenced as one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and has been studied in the Western world in colleges and universities since then, extensively.
The story starts with a traveling salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes up to find himself transformed into a large, ugly insect-like creature with a shell-like back and numerous thin legs to walk. The plot gets interesting when his supervisor from his office shows up at his doorstep when he doesn’t turn up to work. The cover shows a cockroach. The reason behind this transformation is not mentioned in the book, neither explained. The novel essentially deals with Gregor’s attempts to adjust to his new life condition (basically eating and sneaking) as he deals with being burdensome to his parents and sister, who are repulsed by the sight of the grotesque, vermin that Gregor has become.
My Review
Although quite a repulsive story, the writing keeps you hooked. You keep wondering whether unfortunate Gregor will ever transform back to his original form. I felt very poorly for Gregor, because of this pitiable state he was in. His thoughts and opinions penned by the author portray as him being a very honest and hardworking man whose only aim was ever to make his family happy and give them the best in every way, despite any hardships he may have to endure.
As a reader I was compelled to think – why would this kind of man have to face this kind of hardship and why would his family not make attempts to support him better or even try to understand him and speak to him.
Final Verdict
The end of the story is heart-breaking. I would say I admired the book in terms of creating a mystery surrounding the whole episode and the will he/won't he transform back suspense.
But in terms of satisfying the reader, I’d say the book fails miserably. All the questions about what, why, how is left to readers to interpret as they may.
And yet I’d say please read this book, at 80+ pages, it’s absolutely worth your time.
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. He was born to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family in Prague, Bohemia (presently the Czech Republic), Austria–Hungary. His unique body of writing—much of which is incomplete and which was mainly published posthumously—is considered to be among the most influential in Western literature.
His stories include "The Metamorphosis" (1912) and "In the Penal Colony" (1914), while his novels are The Trial (1925), The Castle (1926) and Amerika (1927).
Kafka's writing attracted little attention until after his death. During his lifetime, he published only a few short stories and never finished any of his novels, unless "The Metamorphosis" is considered a (short) novel. Prior to his death, Kafka wrote to his friend and literary executor Max Brod: "Dearest Max, my last request: Everything I leave behind me ... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, [is] to be burned unread." Brod overrode Kafka's wishes, believing that Kafka had given these directions to him specifically because Kafka knew he would not honor them—Brod had told him as much. Brod, in fact, would oversee the publication of most of Kafka's work in his possession, which soon began to attract attention and high critical regard.
Kafka's first language was German, but he was also fluent in Czech. Later, Kafka acquired some knowledge of the French language and culture; one of his favorite authors was Flaubert.
- Top Quotes from The Metamorphosis -
I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.
“How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense"
“He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone.”
“Was he an animal, that music could move him so? He felt as if the way to the unknown nourishment he longed for were coming to light.”
“He thought back on his family with deep emotion and love. His conviction that he would have to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister's. He remained in this state of empty and peaceful reflection until the tower clock struck three in the morning. He still saw that outside the window everything was beginning to grow light. Then, without his consent, his head sank down to the floor, and from his nostrils streamed his last weak breath.”
“What's happened to me,' he thought. It was no dream.”
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