Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Metamorphosis is a novella written by Franz Kafka and published in 1915. The story revolves around Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. The novella explores themes of alienation, isolation, family duty, responsibility, and the absurdity of everyday life.

The story begins with Gregor’s transformation, which affects not only himself but also his family, particularly his father and sister. The novella deals with the absurdity of the event and suggests a universe that functions without any governing system of order and justice. The story never explains Gregor’s transformation, and there is no indication that he deserves his fate.

The novella has been widely discussed among literary critics, with differing interpretations being offered. Like most of Kafka’s works, Metamorphosis tends to be given a religious or psychological interpretation by most of its interpreters. It has also been interpreted as an expression of Kafka’s father complex and as a portrayal of general social circumstances.

Useful takeaways from Metamorphosis include the lesson that there are more important things in life than work, the absurdity that exists in everyday life, and the idea that in modern society, humans are more cut off from one another and alienated from the human connections they used to have. The novella also touches on the theme most central to us all—that of struggling to find and express one’s own identity in a world of ever-present, all-consuming obligations.

What I Liked

The book definitely lives up to its hype as a “greatest novel of all-time”. It’s well-written and accessible. I also think it means even more now in a world of ever-connected social media than it did under Czech communism.

What I Did Not Like

Not a whole lot – solid novel.