The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Genre: Fiction/Classics
Blurb (on back of book):
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was laying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes. With its startling, bizarre, yet surprisingly funny first opening, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis. It is the story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. A harrowing—though absurdly comic—meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of twentieth-century fiction. As W.H. Auden wrote, "Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of modern man.
MY OPINION: ***
I listened to this book on audiobook on a whim one day at work after realizing I had nothing new to read. I didn't want to listen to a ten-part book and this one was the shortest by far. I've heard of it from history class but hadn't actually sat down to read it. I actually ended up enjoying it far more than I expected.
This book was published in 1915, in the midst of World War I. Although it seemingly is a simple (and strange) story about a man who turns into a bug, it explores deeper themes of alienation, identity, and pushes the limits of reality. I honestly didn't remember the full context of this novel before starting it, which I think would have been helpful to know to better understand what you're reading (hence, why I am giving you a brief contextual summary).
The book follows salesman Gregor Samsa and his experiences after he wakes up one day as a huge insect. He struggles to conform to his new "identity" and sense of self as he tries to adapt to environments that are really only suitable for humans. We see the reactions of his family and friends to his "metamorphosis" and follow the rest of his life as an insect and his slow development and adaptation to the world around him.
It was a very strange experience to read/listen to this book. I technically had no idea what was going on when it first started. The first sentence is very jarring. There's no introduction or preface to the simple fact that this man is now a bug. (I'm not even sure if we get a real description of what kind of bug he is?? Or maybe I just missed that).
This was my first Kafka and it was definitely an interesting experience. I'm not sure if I will pick up any more of his work anytime soon but I'm glad I read what is widely considered his "masterpiece." This gives the same energy as other "absurd" books like Animal Farm so I'm interested to see what the rest of his writing is like. (Recommend some if you'd like).
This book passed by very very quickly (hence, why this review is so short). If you're looking for a super short and meaningful read, I'd highly recommend picking this one up. The writing, though translated into English, was very simple to understand while also appearing very poignant and introspective. I definitely enjoyed this one.
Main Character: Gregor
Sidekick(s): N/A
Villain(s): Metamorphosis, death, family/friend reactions, etc
Fiction Elements: This was entirely a work of fiction in every possible way.
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