Book Review: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka — a classic that is not dull and costs 99 cents at most
I have just finished re-reading Franz Kafka’s novella, “The Metamorphosis,” and I was surprised how readable it was. The translation from the German of this edition, which also contains several short stories (available as a 99-cent Kindle book by Penguin), is precise, but not in a cold, stereotypical way. It is as if we are taken for a walk by a non-threatening narrator, and I almost hesitate to use the word “warm” or “cozy,” but considering the serious subject matter and the abject selfishness and cruelty portrayed by the characters (a reflection and an indictment of humankind as whole), it is difficult to put down the book because the sentences are easy to navigate and we wonder what will happen next.
Without giving away the whole plot, I can tell you that the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning from a fitful sleep and finds that he has been transformed into a giant insect, the size of a human being. It is just about impossible to stop reading after such a beginning, especially if we suspend disbelief and imagine the what-if scenario that can unfold in many directions.
Gregor Samsa works at a dull job to support his parents and a 17-year-old sister, who live at home, and allegedly are poor, though they manage to employ a cook, a maid, and a charwoman (perhaps such subservient positions were affordable necessities back then ... the book was published in 1915).
If you enjoy reading about dysfunctional families (an interesting pursuit that makes us feel better about our own families), this long story has it all. It is a tragicomic portrayal, featuring, for example, a father figure who takes to sitting fully dressed in his messenger work outfit (when he finally has to contribute financially) in a recliner, even sleeping in it, wearing a cap, as if he has found a new identity in his work.
Poor Gregor Samsa, the main character, tries not to self-identify with his job, which makes him tired and leaves time for little else. The mother has asthma, and even though asthma is nothing to laugh about, the rendering of the family catering to the mother’s condition is humorous (let us not forget Leonard’s comedic use of an asthma inhaler in “The Big Bang Theory”). Gregor’s sister is pampered and spoiled and knows how to create drama that works to her advantage. “The Metamorphosis” is indeed a tragicomedy of dysfunction and will make most of us feel much better about our familial arrangements.
What is most fascinating about “The Metamorphosis” (without spoiling the story) is the transformation of Gregor, from the moment he wakes up as a giant insect or bug. Imagine for a moment how such an event would go over in your family. But it is the relationship between human beings and animals (and other elements in the world) that gives us pause to think, if we are able to stop reading, because we are so curious to find out about the travails of a man who is an insect. If we look carefully, we observe both the insect-like behavior of what used to be a person and at the same time gain psychological insight into how family members deal with each other.
One line among several that stands out is “Was he a beast if music could move him so?” This refers to Gregor’s listening to his sister’s violin playing. Heart-tugging strings, bad pun intended, indeed. It is impossible not to feel empathy and sympathy for the injured Gregor-as-insect.
Why read “The Metamorphosis?” One reason is because it is only 99 cents and that you can also find a translation of it free online. Another reason is that it’s time spent within a relatively short time period that expands and expounds upon the behavior of human beings (that’s us, we hope) and offers a reflection in the mirror of what place work and family and friends have in our lives, even if we don’t catch a glimpse of ourselves first thing in the morning and see a giant insect.
