Today, we will be reviewing the classic novel The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. It is a timeless story that has a message that is still important in this day and age. Keep reading for our book review and why you should give this novel a read!
The Metamorphosis Summary
Gregor Samsa is a travel salesman and the sole provider for his family. One day, he wakes up and finds himself transformed into a vermin. This new circumstance makes Samsa ponder his live as he struggles to get up.
If Samsa doesn’t go to work, he knows that he will be fired. But with his new body, Samsa is barely able to get out of his bed. Samsa’s parents and sister try to get him to get out of his room but can’t since he has locked it. But things go crazy to worse when Samsa’s office manager enter Samsa’s house to see why Samsa missed the train he was supposed to board.
But as Samsa tries to talk, he realizes that his family and manager cannot understand him. Finally, after hours, Samsa is forced out of his room and everyone is terrified with his transformation. What will happen to Samsa, his job, and his family if he can never turn back into a human?
Commentary
First published in 1915, the novella is considered one of Kafka’s best works. It has been the center of many discussions as there are many interpretations. The novella was written in German and the “vermin” that Samsa transforms into is never made clear.
That is intentional because Kafka himself had no intention of labeling the metamorphosis as anything specific. That may have been because he didn’t want the focus to be about the change but how the change affected Samsa physiologoically. When Kafka sent a letter to his publisher in 1915 about the cober illuestration, Kafka wrote “The insect itself is not to be drawn. It is not even to be seen from a distance.”
Conclusion
This has been an issue that has debated ever since. No matter what he transforms into, the novel tackles issues that are still as relevant today. It is a short read and thought provoking. Novels like this is why we pick up a new book, never knowing where it will take us!
I read this for college a long time ago, and this was definitely one of my favorite assigned reads! I remember it being an uncomfortable story to get through. Although it’s about him turning into “vermin,” it really feels like you are reading about psychological and social distress rather than an actual physical transformation.