Metamorfosis

Por Frank Kafka y Ariel Magnus

«"¿Qué tal si durmiera un poquito más y me olvidara de todas estas tonterías?"».
Gregor Samsa se hace esta pregunta, tal y como se la haría cualquier persona al despertar de una pesadilla. Pero la pesadilla de Samsa es real, se ha transformado en un enorme y horrendo insecto y no encuentra ninguna explicación.
A través de este relato alegórico y fantástico, Franz Kafka expone la insensibilidad e incomprensión del ser humano hacia sus semejantes, al tiempo que nos lleva a reflexionar acerca de nuestro papel en el mundo. Una lectura emocionante e inspiradora que no se olvida jamás.
«Una de las pocas obras grandes y perfectas de la imaginación poética escrita». Elias Canetti

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: Océano Gran Travesía
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 20 jul 2023
• ISBN: 9786075576084

Vista previa del libro

I

Al despertar una mañana, tras unos sueños intranquilos, Gregor Samsa se encontró en su cama transformado en un bicho monstruoso. Estaba acostado sobre su espalda dura como un caparazón y, alzando un poco la cabeza, veía su panza abombada, marrón y dividida por unos endurecimientos en forma de arco, en cuya cima la frazada apenas lograba sostenerse y estaba a punto de resbalar hacia abajo por completo. Sus muchas patas, lastimosamente finas en comparación con el resto de su tamaño, vibraban desamparadas ante sus ojos.

¿Qué me ha ocurrido?, pensó. No era un sueño. Su habitación, una auténtica habitación humana, sólo que un poco demasiado chica, seguía ahí, tranquila, entre las cuatro paredes bien conocidas. Sobre la mesa, arriba de la que estaba desplegado un muestrario de telas desempaquetadas —Samsa era viajante—, colgaba una imagen que había recortado hacía poco de una revista ilustrada y había puesto dentro de un bonito marco dorado. Mostraba a una dama con un sombrero y una boa de piel, sentada muy erguida y alzando hacia el observador un pesado manguito de piel en el que tenía hundido todo su antebrazo.

La mirada de Gregor pasó luego a la ventana y el clima nublado —se escuchaban golpear las gotas de lluvia contra el alféizar de la ventana— lo puso muy melancólico. ¿Qué tal si durmiera un poquito más y me olvidara de todas estas tonterías?, pensó, pero era algo del todo inviable, pues estaba acostumbrado a dormir sobre el lado derecho y en su estado actual no podía ponerse en esa postura. No importaba con cuánta fuerza se arrojase hacia la derecha, siempre volvía a balancearse hasta quedar nuevamente de espaldas. Probó como cien veces, cerrando los ojos para no tener que ver las patas pataleando, y sólo desistió cuando empezó a sentir de costado un leve dolor sordo que no había sentido nunca.

¡Dios mío, qué oficio más agotador elegí! —pensó—. Día tras día de viaje. Los problemas de negocios son mucho más grandes en casa de uno que en un verdadero negocio, y además me impusieron esta molestia de viajar, la ansiedad por las combinaciones de tren, las comidas irregulares y malas, el contacto humano siempre cambiante, que nunca dura ni se vuelve afectuoso. ¡Al diablo con todo eso!. Sintió un ligero picor sobre la panza y se fue acercando lentamente de espaldas a la cabecera de la cama, a fin de poder alzar mejor la cabeza; encontró el lugar de la picazón, todo cubierto de unos pequeños puntitos blancos que no supo interpretar, pero cuando quiso tocar el sitio con una pata, la retiró enseguida, pues el roce le produjo escalofríos.

Volvió a deslizarse hacia la posición anterior. Esto de levantarse temprano lo deja a uno completamente idiota —pensó—. El hombre debe dormir. Otros viajantes viven como mujeres de un harén. Cuando, por ejemplo, vuelvo al hostal en el correr de la mañana para pasar los pedidos conseguidos, los señores estos apenas están desayunando. Si yo intentara hacer lo mismo con mi jefe, volaría al instante. ¿Quién sabe si eso no sería algo muy bueno para mí, dicho sea de paso? Me contengo por mis padres, de lo contrario hace tiempo que hubiera renunciado. Me habría plantado ante el jefe y le habría dicho lo que pienso de todo corazón. ¡Se habría caído del escritorio! Es realmente extraño eso de sentarse sobre el escritorio y hablar desde las alturas con el empleado, que además tiene que ponerse bien cerca, debido a la sordera del jefe. Pero no pierdo del todo las esperanzas: una vez que haya reunido el dinero como para pagarle la deuda de mis padres —serán unos cinco o seis años más—, lo haré seguro. Ahí vendrá el gran punto y aparte. Entretanto, tengo que levantarme, que mi tren sale a las cinco.

Y miró el reloj que hacía tictac sobre el armario de enfrente. ¡Dios Santo!, pensó. Eran las seis y media, y las agujas avanzaban con calma, eran incluso las seis y media pasadas, acercándose a las siete menos cuarto. ¿Será que el despertador no ha sonado? Desde la cama se veía que estaba correctamente puesto a las cuatro, no había dudas de que también había sonado. Sí, pero ¿era posible quedarse tranquilamente dormido con ese sonido que hacía estremecer los muebles? O sea, bien no había dormido, pero tanto más profundo seguramente. ¿Qué debía hacer ahora? El próximo tren salía a las siete; para alcanzarlo hubiera tenido que apurarse a lo loco y el muestrario no estaba empaquetado aún, amén de que no se sentía muy despabilado ni ágil. Y aun si alcanzaba el tren, la reprimenda del jefe era inevitable, pues el cadete del negocio esperaba en el tren de las cinco y hacía rato que debía haber informado sobre su demora. Era un lacayo del jefe, sin agallas ni cabeza. ¿Y si decía que estaba enfermo? Pero eso hubiera sido sumamente degradante y sospechoso, ya que en los cinco años que llevaba de servicio Gregor no había estado enfermo ni una vez. El jefe vendría sin dudas con el médico laboral, les haría reproches a los padres por el hijo vago que tenían y cortaría todas las objeciones señalando al médico, para quien sólo existían personas completamente sanas con aversión al trabajo. ¿Y en este caso no hubiera tenido alguna razón? Porque más allá de una somnolencia de veras superflua después de haber dormido tanto, lo cierto es que Gregor se sentía muy bien y hasta tenía mucha hambre.

Mientras reflexionaba sobre estas cosas a toda velocidad, sin poder decidirse a dejar la cama —el despertador acababa de dar las siete menos cuarto—, golpearon con cuidado a la puerta que estaba a la cabecera.

—Gregor —se oyó (era su madre)—, son las siete menos cuarto. ¿No tenías que irte?

¡Qué voz más suave! Gregor se estremeció al escuchar la contestación de la propia, que era inconfundiblemente la de antes, pero en la que se mezclaba como desde el fondo un piar doloroso e irreprimible, que sólo en un primer momento dejaba que las palabras conservaran su claridad, por así decirlo, para luego destruirlas durante su resonancia, al punto de que no se sabía si uno había oído bien. Gregor hubiera querido contestar en detalle y explicarlo todo, pero ante esta circunstancia se limitó a decir:

—Sí, sí, gracias, madre, enseguida me levanto.

La puerta de madera no debió de haber permitido que el cambio en la voz se percibiera desde afuera, pues la madre se tranquilizó con esta aclaración y se alejó, arrastrando los pies. Pero el pequeño diálogo había advertido a los otros miembros de la familia de que, contra lo esperado, Gregor seguía en la casa, y ya el padre golpeaba una de las puertas laterales, débilmente, pero con el puño.

—Gregor, Gregor —exclamó—, ¿qué es lo que pasa? —y tras un breve momento le advirtió otra vez con voz más grave—: ¡Gregor, Gregor!

En la otra puerta lateral se lamentaba en voz baja

Comentarios para Metamorfosis

[andjhostet-527429 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was a great, short read, that I had somehow never read before this. Existential books about feelings of loneliness or alienation from society are almost always pretty enjoyable reads for me, and I can see the influence from Dostoyevksi on this one. Another one this reminded me of was The Yellow Wallpaper, which I loved.

One thing I noticed while reading was the anti-capitalist sentiment coming from the pages. For example, when Gregor wakes up and finds himself to be an insect, the first thing he thinks is "will I still be able to go to work?" which is of course, absurd. Before his transformation, Gregor was a highly valued member of the family, particularly because he worked and was the only one who made money in the household, supporting his sister and parents. After his transformation though (and loss of his incoming salary), his family treated him as nothing but a burden, eventually abusing him and neglecting him to the point of his death. To me, Gregor symbolized the constant exploitation of the working class by the higher classes of society, however I have no idea if this was intended by Kafka.

[markm2315 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Contains one of my mother's favorite words from when I studied German - Ungeziefer. The other is, of course, but probably not in Die Verwandlung, ausgezeichnet.

[alisony-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

If you've not come across it before, the gist of the story is that a travelling salesman (who's fed up with his job and lot as the breadwinner of the family) wakes up one morning to find he has transformed into some kind of large beetle-like insect. As the family discover his metamorphosis it turns the whole family's world upside down. Unsure how to deal with him, they keep him mostly confined to his bedroom, with his main interaction being with his sister who throws him scraps of food a few times per day. As time goes on, each family member has to become independent and take on employment, and the stress of dealing with their new insect family member starts to take its toll.It's a totally off the wall concept, but an interesting one and a book which would make a good book club read.Did I enjoy it? I'm glad I read it, but despite the dark humour it overall felt quite bleak.3.5 stars for the imagination and execution, but it's not going to go onto my 'loved' pile.

[autumnesf · Calificación: 1 de 5 estrellas]

Really did not like this. Not because of the writing, just the whole subject matter. Too much for me.

[ionas_7 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Everyone who reads must have heard of this story. I thought actually that I had read it years ago but now I see I had not. It is perhaps the most unrealistic story ever written: a young man, Gregor, wakes up one morning and finds himself transformed into a giant centipede, or the like. Gregor was an ordinary man, a commercial traveller, though he hated the job. Now he’s a centipede, he has great difficulty in doing anything: he can hardly even get out of bed. He can speak at first, but later he cannot. He lives with his father, mother and sister, and there is also a servant girl. Understandably, Gregor’s parents are upset at the sight of him. Gregor’s sister, Grete, puts food out for him, though it turns out he doesn’t like the same food he used to. He keeps to his room, where he finds it most comfortable to lie under the sofa. Gregor’s family think that he cannot comprehend what they say, but he understands everything. Gregor had been the one that supported the family financially, and now could not do so. Though the family are shocked by Gregory’s transformation, still, throughout the story, there is an acceptance of it, which belies its seriousness and the “impossibility” of its happening. There is no questioning why the transformation took place either on the part of the family or Gregor himself. No outsiders or therapists come to study him or examine what can be done. If a reason could be found, perhaps they could find out how to turn him back into himself. (This is my personal comment.) G’s room is now filthy, since Grete has stopped cleaning it. Eventually, Gregor stops eating. He is lonely because he sees no-one. The family try to forget that the monster in Gregor’s bedroom is in fact Gregor and they lose interest in him. He dies, presumably from starvation. The charwoman gets rid of the “thing” that is Gregor’s corpse. He had become reduced to a thing. Now Gregor was gone, the family, who had all got jobs, could move to another house. Grete had blossomed into a pretty girl and it would soon be time to find a husband for her. So while Gregor transforms to a monster, and dies, his family undergo a positive transformation, at least, after his death. What is Kafka trying to tell us with the story? Was he himself regarded as a monster by his family? Or what is the symbolism of the story?

[librolindsay · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This--WHACK!--is a bug.

Only Julie would get this.

------------------------------

I forgot how funny this book is. Tragic, too, of course...but tragically funny!

[lgcullens · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Read many years ago, so I'm recalling my thoughts having refreshed my memory.
Three, three and a half, four stars, depending on what aspect I view the story from.

The writing, as with all Kafka works that I've read, is arresting.
The story in this case, weirdly imaginative, catching one up in its absurdity while at the same time invoking repulsion and empathy.
The gist, to my mind, is a depiction of role transitions we go through in life.

I don't remember actually enjoying this work, and consider Kafka's The Castle superior in the lingering impressions that play in one's mind. From the latter, I still use the word Kafkaesque where applicable ;-)

[sarahlh-41506 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

An unsettling, psychological story with an ending that had me stunned completely. See, this is the book that should have ended with "ah, humanity!" - like Bartleby the Scrivener did. Also, my first Kindle read! Am I finally a 21st century reader now?

[tonifgmamtc · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This short story is beyond weird. I mean it super is, but it really kept my attention. It's like nothing I remember reading before. I won't soon forget it.

[fence_2 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Most people are probably somewhat familiar with Franz Kafka. When we hear that something is Kafkaesque we think of the surreal and the absurd, but with a darkness. The Metamorphosis is possibly his most well known story. The tale of a travelling salesman who wakes one morning and finds that he is a giant beetle or cockroach. How many of us know the rough outline without ever having read the actual work?

I do have a vague memory of reading it at some point in the past. But years and years ago. I know I didn’t appreciate it then. Reading it now I was left with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Gregor is a pitiable person even before he is transformed into vermin. His family are even worse. For a while the reader may hold out some hope for his sister, but that never comes to pass.

Why and how Gregor became an insect is never discussed, never explained. That is not the point of the book, it isn’t even vaguely important to the characters. What is important is how it changes Gregor’s relationship with his family. Up until his transformation he had been the sole bread-winner, he can no longer support even himself. He has become a burden on the rest of the Samsa’s, but his thoughts and memories seem to suggest that even while he was supporting them his parents never truly valued him.

This, supposedly, is a worry that Kafka himself had, that he was disgusting and a drain on his family. In some ways it seems like a analogy of someone suffering from depression, but it could also be about modern life and the alienation of capitalism and the city, or even about ageing. There are many many interpretations, and all, I would think, valid in their own way.

[drfuriosa · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

Philosophy, animal studies, etc., etc. This was not my cuppa.

[magonistarevo-625111 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is a wonderfully absurd comedy (really? The main character starves himself to death because his family is in economic despair and no one loves him). Or perhaps a heavy tragedy (really? The man wakes up as a huge bug and then skitters around the house trying not to scare his mother). Either way it's genius. A quick read that accurately conveys the awkwardness that one would feel if s/he woke up to realize that s/he was a bug.

[linyarai · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

A great classic.

[indrit-76 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This has to one of the most unique stories ever written and is testament to Kafka's genius in conjuring up such powerful nightmarish, weird, absurd and enigmatic, but ultimately deeply moving and human in few pages.

[kristelh_15 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

read this twice, once in college and again in 2009. It is a creepy book but that is not the point. The point is that it examines identity and alienation. It is a classic of existential literature.

[rose999-383069 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I sincerely don't know what to say, I didn't like it, I found it boring and predictable, didn't find it sad or funny, in fact I felt no emotion at all while reading it, I could not empathize with Gregor at all.

I must admit I'm giving it a 3 out of respect alone, if it weren't such a classic story I probably would remember nothing about it by tomorrow, but given that it is a classic I'll give my opinion on it.

Maybe the only reason it didn't have any impact on me it's because it was such a revolutionary story that by now it's overdone, I can't feel the newlyness of it anymore, maybe that's all, but at the same time a classic should stand by its own merit not based only on originality.

The first part is much more about capitalism, about nowadays (thenadays) work ethics, no matter the seriousness and strangeness the situation that Gregor finds himself in, the most important thing that passes through his mind is going to work, not losing his work, how is he going to sustain his family without work? He is afraid that even seeing his present state his manager won't find it worthy of a few days leave, again and again is repeated how bosses exploit the workers, making them work through sickness and calling them lazy if they aren't up to it.

He also finds himself thinking that if no one takes notice of his new body then he will act like he doesn't either, that attitude of just going by the motions, feigning that nothing is wrong.

Also we are shown how his family doesn't really value the effort he makes for them, they take him for granted, his sacrifice is just how things are and no one is too keen on changing that status quo.

By part 2 we are shown that the family instead of dealing with Gregor and trying to find help they decide on hiding, trying not to bring shame to the family, putting their own "dignity" above Gregor's wellbeing, that's not only a take on them but on society as well, who on their right mind could shame the family entire for something so out of their control like one for its member becoming a giant bug? But we do, not with bugs but with sickness, it's not that weird to blame parents if a son has mental health problems, and the reasoning behind this is too complicated and I won't go into it now.

By now I'm not sure what happened in part 2 and what in 3 so it doesn't really matter.

The sister takes on herself the task of caring for her brother and at first she is very into it, she cooks for him, she cleans the room, even then she can't find the will power to see him or try to interact with him in any way, in fact at almost the end of the book the father complains about Gregor's inability to comprehend them and ask consequence being unable to make some rules or help the situation in any way, even though this isn't true and Gregor has been able to comprehend them all this time and at times even tried to make himself heard but to no avail.

With the passing of time the family starts to tire of the emotional burden that Gregor puts them through, understandably if you ask me, they now have to work all the day and then care for him, they are stressed because they hurt for him and by this time they have no hope he'll get better (he's a giant bug for God's sake!), they are under much pressure.

At some point the father admits that he has been saving money from what Gregor gave them for food and other expenses, so they do have some if there is need for it, Gregor thinks about how cunning this was of his father since that money could have been used to pay the debt that chained him to his job but given the circumstances his father decision to save it without telling anybody ended up being for the best, showing us again how selfless Gregor is, and taking the story as a whole as an allegory of mental illness it shows how the family pushed him into this state, if he had been able to use this money to escape his soul sucking job and get another one he wouldn't have become a giant bug and there won't be any need of those savings, Gregor even now can't see this. (Of course this is just an interpretation, I have read not even one analysis of this story so there may be some other wild interpretations for this that I'm missing)

AAnother point is the apple that the father hits Gregor with and ends up embedded in his caparace, he can't take it on his own and nobody tries to help him neither, with the passing of time the apple rots, the area becomes inflamed and festers, it hurts, an analogy of how certain things that are said or done while on emotionally charged moods and then never talked about again can fuck individuals up festering all the while everyone tries to ignore it even happened.

At this point Gregor doesn't care much about others, he does stuff that he knows will make others uncomfortable but he can't stop himself anymore, he longs for human contact, for some love.

At last in the end of the book Gregor dies, thinking himself a burden on his family, and the family feels liberated, they realize their new jobs aren't that bad, they can now go on with their lives, it's their new beginning.

So yeah I guess it's a good analogy of how families treat sick members, even more at that time.

[michaeladams1979 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A truly strange story. I actually found it more sad than anything else, people stuck in impossible situations just trying to find some sense of normalcy again, forever out-of-reach. I read it a bit as a metaphor for having an chronically ill or disabled member of the family, someone who suddenly is not the active, capable breadwinner they once were, presenting a double-burden to the family which had built its lifestyle around their contributions. A really thought-provoking weird tragedy.

[arkrayder · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was a dark little fable. The genius of the author is to totally leave it to the reader as to whether Gregor has become a vile animal or is suffering mentally and as a consequence is shunned by his family. The tale has its funny moments, but its overall a dark story.

[henrimoreaux · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Metamorphosis is an intriguing book, in a way it seems to be about Kafka's life, like George Samsa, he was unable to run away from the room he was trapped within, that room being circumstances & depression. Yet at the same time, the book is also about isolation and society. It takes place in an undated time and an unspecified place with the vast majority of the story taking place in the Samsa apartment. It's well worth reading.

[pepperwings · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Such a weird story. It's completely unclear, he's changed into another creature and he's still absorbed in his day to day.

[benuathanasia · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A perennial favorite. Frustrating, sad, and fascinating. It begs to be dissected and analyzed, while at the same time, it just needs to be accepted as is.

[ashishg_50 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I came across this book by accident, having learned that it was considered classic, and having missed it during my schooling days, and on whim finding it free on Project Gutenberg, and realizing that it's small story worth reading in few sittings.Opening premise in first line sends a shock wave. It's strange, mildly amusing, and not yet clear where the story will go. However, story is captivating from get-go. For once, this classic lives up to its such designation. For another, despite my surprise at myself, I wasn't bothered about reason of this metamorphosis nor did absence of that took anything away from the story. Usually, ridiculous hypothetical premise of story which is not resolved till end is buzz-kill for me, but Kafka's work transcends that feeling, perhaps by not pretending to be anywhere close to science fiction and by tugging heart at right places. It is science fiction in its premise, but it is not, otherwise.Of course, somethings in story bother you. I am amazed that rest of world wasn't throbbing Samsas' house to see the transformation, and that they could keep it as mildly horrifying novelty, despite their maid, Gregor's senior clerk, and their tenants having observed themselves. How could neighbors, police, scientists, and crowd be kept at abeyance from such rare happenstance? Another convenient coincidence was Gregor's end, brought out without much premonition.What's most amazing is that while story isn't really fast paced, it just seems to keep you on hook. Story from perspective of vermin, of course, helps a lot. Challenges of adjusting to new life, phases of grief displayed by family in handling him, poignancy of whole situation tugs your heart and brought tear drops in my eyes near the end. I am tempted to be angry at his family, but I cannot be seeing what they did under such extraordinary circumstances. I cannot be unsympathetic to Gregor though, for he is such a gentle soul, struggling himself yet always keeping his virtues and noble character to guide his actions.It's simple story, with multiple interpretations, all likely wrong, but which will keep you haunting long after you have read it.

[etxgardener · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I've had nightmares because of work, but I''ve never had Gregor's out of body exxperience where he wakes up one morning and finds that he's become a giant beetle. Kafka's surreal novel - perhaps the first to employ magical realism - .is a tour du force. Gregor, who has been supporting his family (why is left unclear), now must remain locked in his room because his appearance is too unsettling to everyone. Faced with the necessity of survival, his parents and sister now find employment and gradually become more self-suffcient. As this happens, Gregor finds his life draining away. When he finally dies, his family becomes fully actualized.

[revslick_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

perfect read for late at night creepy and a great allegory for those in 12-step recovery (AA, NA, Alanon, etc.).

[mamzel_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Gregor Samsa lives with his parents and younger sister and lives a perfectly normal life until one morning when he wakes up and finds he is now a human-sized roach. The story is an examination of how a family might react to such an event and how one might feel if this happened to him. I loved trying to imagine life as a roach.

[sparrowlicious · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

"Die Verwandlung" ist wohl eines der meistinterpretierten Bücher im deutschsprachigen, als auch im englischsprachigen Schulwesen. Hier entführt uns Kafka in eine Geschichte, in der der Handelsreisende Gregor Samsa, der alleine für seine Familie sorgen muss, sich plötzlich in einen Riesenkäfer verwandelt, sodass die Familie auf sich selbst gestellt ist. Von allen Interpretationen gefällt mir immer noch die am besten, dass sich Gregors "Inneres" nach "außen" gekehrt habe. Kafka hat gerne lange Sätze geschrieben, sodass es für ungeübte Leser am Anfang schwierig erscheint, der Geschichte zu folgen. Man kann über "Die Verwandlung" denken, was man möchte, aber diese Geschichte lässt einem aufgrund ihrer Surrealität äußerst viel Raum für Interpretationen und das allein zeugt von einer gewissen Qualität.

[aliceanna-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Having not read this since college, I found it much more meaningful this time around. Whatever Kafka's intent, I found the tale to be symbolic of the family dynamic when a once integral part of the family becomes helpless or worthless through illness, dishonor, etc. The death of Gregor restored life to the family.

[edgeworth_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

When Gregor Samsa woke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect.This is one of the most famous opening lines in literature, and the general concept of The Metamorphosis, which hovers on the borderline of being a short story or a novella, is one of literature’s most famous and fascinating stories. No explanation is given for Gregor Samsa’s terrible fate; he and his family must simply endure it. Almost the entire novella takes place within the Samsa family’s apartment, and over a mere 61 pages Kafka develops an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, alienation and sheer misery at the unjustness of the world.This is a book many students are forced to read in high school, probably because of its short length, like The Great Gatsby, with no consideration for the fact that high school students probably aren’t yet equipped to appreciate the themes it explores (again like The Great Gatsby). There are dozens if not hundreds of scholarly interpretations as to what The Metamorphosis is allegorising; mental illness and depression are popular ideas. If I had to throw my hat into the ring I’d suggest it’s about the struggles of adulthood, the sometimes crushing sense of responsibility, the loss of innocence; much is made of the fact that Gregor, in his early twenties, has been working as a salesman to support his recently impoverished family, and following his transformation his inability to work and provide for them leaves him with a terrible sense of guilt. On the very morning of the metamorphosis the head clerk arrives from his office, demanding to know why he has not turned up for work, and it’s almost a scene of black comedy as Gregor attempts to leave the bed and open the door, to reassure his superior that he is fit and able and enthusiastic. The fact that he has turned into a monster is of secondary concern to his job security.This particular edition has a couple of Kafka’s other short stories at the back, presumably because the publisher wanted to pad the length out. None of them struck me as particularly memorable. The Metamorphosis, on the other hand, deserves its status as a literary classic – an enduring symbol of alienation in human society.

[laurenbdavis · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

One of the most famous opening lines in literature: "As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect." Well, this will certainly be a day unlike all others.A classic work of expressionism. A metaphor for what happens to an individual when he lives a life he loathes, for extreme alienation and rebellion. What the reader brings to the text will inform his or her interpretation, and that makes the work all the more extraordinary.

[lisamaria_c · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This is a hard book to nail down. That despite the fact that the basic (infamous) premise is revealed in the first sentence. It was about all I knew about Kafka or The Metamorphosis when I started the book--that the "hero" wakes up as a cockroach: As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly stay in place and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.I'd read this work published in 1915 was a seminal work of the early 20th century. I'd read it was important to the Existentialist movement, surreal and absurdest and despairing. So what surprised me about this short novella--it's only about 22 thousand words--is how funny it is. I just found this all pretty hilarious. Is that bad, and wrong? It has been described as horror--but I mean, just the way Kafka describes poor Gregor trying to get around on his little legs--or trying to squeak out explanations to his supervisor or his family... I found nothing very heavy in this--or anything all that philosophical--at least not in any ponderous or pedantic way. It felt more light humor than anything--and really, an engaging introduction for me to this writer who'd I'd definitely read again.