I just finished reading Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. It’s taken me an embarrassingly long amount of time to finish this book, so I have had a lot of time to sit with it.
At face value, it’s not a particularly interesting read save for the absurdity of the concept. I read the English translation of course, and it was very easy to understand, almost entirely lacking any “poeticality”. But, it’s short so boredom can be excused. Actually, it reminded me quite a big of “The Yellow Wallpaper” as it is another text that if taken at face value, would be very unentertaining. I think this is the kind of book I would recommend to a teenager and then ask them for their analysis—makes sense why some schools have it in their teaching materials?
Going beyond the writing style and entertainment value, I found it to be very very interesting. I wasn’t thinking of this book much while reading it, and I read it haphazardly. However, the other day I found myself struggling with illness and feeling immense pain, which left me bedridden. While I was bedridden, I was constantly thinking of all the work and studying I was missing out on and I was struck by the deepest feeling of anxiety at nog being able to get up and do something. That’s when I realized I had some similarity to Gregor. I admit this was a humbling moment. When he first wakes up as a bug and his main concern is the fact that he can’t work that day, I thought he was so stupid and brainwashed by capitalism. This made me realize so am I. I don’t know if that was an intended interpretation, but it was definitely an interpretation I had.
Gregor’s particular transformation into a bug in my eyes reflected his class position and the respect he had in his family. Yes, his family respected him, but not enough to help him out with expenses or anything. They treated him with respect, but perhaps not enough love? I am not quite sure. But the bug thing truly reflected his position in the corporate world.
Something else I found interesting was the transformation the family had after his transformation. The true metamorphosis was theirs. Everyone started working to lift their own weight. Could they not have done this when Gregor was well? It made me think of people who take on the “caretaker” role. I live in a family with many people who needed caretakers and therefore many people who sacrificed their own lives to care for people who were beyond ever having a life. It sounds inhumane and cruel to say that, but I am just being honest. I know people who had to take care of bedridden elderly uncles and aunts back to back to back until they all passed away. Now they are old and ill themselves. Unmarried, and not very accomplished in the traditional career sense either, with nobody to take care of them. If they hadn’t done it, they would have been blamed, now that they have done it, they get judged and blamed for being unmarried, ill, and unaccomplished. I feel like Gregor was in that caretaker position. No one took care of him though.
I have no conclusions about these interpretations. I am just spitting out my raw thoughts. I feel it will take me longer to form conclusive opinions.
by Piazytiabet
2 Comments
I feel like it’s a classic because each reader will draw a different conclusion as to what the story is about.
What stood out to me was the utter lack of care and compassion displayed by virtually all characters. That’s why I mostly found the story heartbreaking.
Gregor worrying about being late to work rather than worrying about his sudden physical transformation was comical to me and there were a few other funny bits I appreciated but can’t remember.
There’s a reason Kafkaesque is a word.