The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
"I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself." - Franz Kafka
Have you ever seen the illustration of a giant cockroach lying on its back in a bed? Well, it's from a depiction of the cockroach in Kafka's 1915 novel The Metamorphosis. The novel follows a man named Gregor Samsa who lives with his mother, father, and younger sister. Gregor had become the main source of income for his family as both of his parents had been getting older.
One day, he woke up to find himself as no longer a human, but a gigantic cockroach. His transformation inevitably renders him unable to work. As a result, he did not show up for work. His absence was odd to his manager as he was always on time. This prompts his manager to come to his house in order to investigate. Both his manager and his family discover him transformed into a cockroach in his room. His family is horrified and disgusted by their discovery, leading to them finding his presence as a nuisance throughout the story.
Gregor starts struggling more and more with his identity. The rest of his family basically just keep him locked in his room. His sister, Greta, still comes in to feed him and clean his room. He starts to fit more into his new "bug identity" as the story progresses. He develops a taste for rotting food, climbs on walls, and hides under furniture. As his family no longer has a stable source of income, they rent out rooms in their house. His family sees his presence as merely more of a burden. After coming out of his room one evening, chaos transpired. This prompted Greta to convince their parents that Gregor should no longer live with them. Understanding that he is no longer wanted by his family and is completely alienated, he dies of starvation. His family doesn't mourn. Instead, they feel like a weight has been lifted off of their shoulders and eventually forget about him.
Though a very bizarre story, I found it to be a both interesting and meaningful read. Kafka highlights how easily society can discard people as they no longer have any use or material value to them. As we see with Gregor's family, taking care of him had become merely a social obligation. It's a tale of how conditional love can be, as opposed to unconditional.
-Asmara
Wow, Asmara, this book seems hilarious on the outside but deep on the inside. Although I too would shun my family members away if they turned into a giant cockroach, It's sad to see how Gregor's parents neglected him after he metamorphized, even though he once provided the most for the household. I think I may like this book a lot based on the mere fact that it's just so odd. Also I find it interestingly vague yet fitting for their to be no explanation as to why Gregor turned into a cockroach.
ReplyDeleteHey Asmara, great review! This story is super nostalgic for me since it is one of the first things I remember my dad reading to me. Kafka is an amazing author and this story is so fun and entertaining. I remember that when my dad read this story to me he explained that Gregor may not have actually transformed into a cockroach but it could instead symbolize his rotting in his room, like a bug.
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