Why I Picked This Book?
When you start reading, one book leads you to another. While reading some book I came to know that Franz Kafka is regarded as one of the major literary figure of twentieth century, so I thought of reading him. After researching about his book, found that Metamorphosis is considered among his seminal work of fiction along with others. This one was the shortest read among the most acclaimed of his work so I decided to start with this one.
The Book
Gregor Samsa, a travelling salesman, wakes up one morning and find that he has transformed into a horrible vermin. The story then moves forward as to how his metamorphosis into a vermin changes everything for him and his family.
The story can be interpreted in so many ways, and has been interpreted differently by different people. I also gathered few things from the story as per my understanding. The core thing is how isolation and alienation can affect you and your beliefs. Why one is isolated and alienated by his own people (it may be family, friends or anyone you are close to)?
As to the question why one is isolated or alienated, in the story Gregor Samsa was the earning member of the family and takes care of his parents and sister. He works diligently to make sure his family is taken care of, now when all of sudden he transforms into a vermin, his family’s behavior towards him changes. This could be because of his ugly looks which is understood, but it can also be due to the fact that his family now feels that he is no more the bread earner and in-fact a source of shame for the family. One can think of it as someone in the family is suffering from an incurable disease and the family although taking care of him/her but also feeling or showing discomfort because of the disease.
The question of how this behavior of alienation affects the person who is alienated is answered by the fact that over a period Gregor Samsa develops a sense of low self esteem and because of what other thinks about him, starts to think the same about himself. In our immediate surrounding also, be it office or home if we keep bullying or discrediting someone for long he/she starts thinking the same about themselves as the people around them.
The core theme that this Novella deals with is isolation and alienation and the disillusions that comes out from it
This book is among the classics of twentieth century and I mentioned earlier the beauty is it is open to interpretation. His influence on literature and style of writing is so unique and powerful that a term ” Kafkaesque” has entered into the English language. Check out the meaning once you read the book.
About The Author
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).
Our Verdict
Read to find your own interpretation of the story.
To get your own copy of Metamorphosis please click on the link below.