Author: Franz Kafka
Genres: Absurdist Fiction; Novella; Classic
Year Published: 1915
Link: Project Gutenberg
Introduction
Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a novella that is narrated by a traveling salesman named Gregor Samsa. Kafka’s story is one of the best examples of existentialism. Gregor has dedicated his life to working and neglected his own needs and personal relationships. He is obsessed with fulfilling what he believes to be his purpose and in the process becomes something less than human. The Metamorphosis raises questions about what it really means to be human and what makes us worthy of love.
The novella was originally written in German, so there are different translations. For the most part, there aren’t enough differences between translations for it to matter. The only detail I found important is that in the original version does not specify what creature Gregor turns into. Kafka intentionally left Gregor’s form ambiguous. More information about The Metamorphosis and its translation can be found in The New Yorker’s article, “On Translating Kafka’s The Metamorphosis“. **I recommend reading the article after the novella because there are spoilers!**
Review
The story begins with Gregor waking up in bed as a “horrible vermin” (Kafka). Although it is clear to the reader that he must solve this problem before continuing with his life, Gregor’s only concern is work. He worries about being late, what his boss will think of him, and about the welfare of his family. He refuses to address his own problems. Gregor’s stubborn focus on providing for his family prevents him from seeing the truth. He believes he can earn his family’s affection but instead becomes stuck in a disgusting form. Unable to work and make money, he is forced to watch as his family continues their life without him
“‘Well done, Gregor’, they should have cried, ‘keep at it, keep hold of the lock!’ And with the idea that they were all excitedly following his efforts, he bit on the key with all his strength, paying no attention to the pain he was causing himself” (Kafka).
Reading this The Metamorphosis was more intriguing than enjoyable for me. Each of the characters were flawed and self-absorbed in a different way. I saw the worst parts of myself in each of them. I loved and hated how the story made me question my relationships and what motivates them. While Gregor’s story isn’t cheerful, it is a brilliant dissection of human existence.
I’ve read that The Metamorphosis contains dark humor, but I didn’t find the story funny. The overall tone was dark, and the actions of some characters were appalling. This seemed more fitting to me. I thought the story was thought-provoking and insightful, with or without humor.
Overall, I rate this story 5 out of 5. Although I didn’t relate to the humor, I did not think this was important. Kafka’s story was meant to provoke thought, which definitely worked in my case. I would recommend The Metamorphosis to anyone who was interested in philosophy or just liked talking about books.
Isabel
Peyton