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The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka, Stanley Corngold (Translator)

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 162,007 ratings · 3,587 reviews

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was laying 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 keep in position and was about to slide off com...more

Paperback, 201 pages

Published March 1st 1972 by Bantam Classics (first published 1915)

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May 03, 2011 Dan Schwent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, oldies

Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to discover he's been transformed into a giant beetle-like creature. Can he and his family adjust to his new form?

The Metamorphosis is one of those books that a lot of people get dragooned into reading during high school and therefore are predisposed to loath. I managed to escape this fate and I'm glad. The Metamorphosis is quite a strange little book.

Translated from German, The Metamorphosis is the story of how Gregor Samsa's transformation tears his family apa...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Lou rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-reads

It was as a thought provoking encounter reading the metamorphosis of a man into some kind of dung beetle.Waking up to find out you have become a bug and all that comes with being one can be a frightening encounter, the inapability of communicating with you're loved ones a sad fate. This is an engaging read reminiscent of The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson.

Theres to be a screen adaptation check out the video on my page
Metamorphosis Teaser by Jeffrey Laub or
Metamorphosis Promo by ...more

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Apr 22, 2009 Roos rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Manusia yang siap akan perubahan apapun

Recommended to Roos by: Amang and Curiosity

Shelves: furious, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hebatnya membaca buku Kafka ini adalah kita dibuat untuk merasakan proses Metamorfosis itu sendiri, bagaimana menjadi seekor serangga dalam hal ini adalah kecoa. Dimulai dari cover yang menarik adalah perubahan dari jejak sepatu kaki manusia menjadi sebagian badan dan ekor serangga yang teridentifikasi memang kecoa.

Dibandingkan dengan Rico de Coro Filosofi Kopi dalam yang saya baca lebih dulu daripada buku ini, Buku DEE itu dikisahkan Rico de Coro yang memang benar-benar seekor kecoa yang hidup...more Hebatnya membaca buku Kafka ini adalah kita dibuat untuk merasakan proses Metamorfosis itu sendiri, bagaimana menjadi seekor serangga dalam hal ini adalah kecoa. Dimulai dari cover yang menarik adalah perubahan dari jejak sepatu kaki manusia menjadi sebagian badan dan ekor serangga yang teridentifikasi memang kecoa.

Dibandingkan dengan Rico de Coro Filosofi Kopi dalam yang saya baca lebih dulu daripada buku ini, Buku DEE itu dikisahkan Rico de Coro yang memang benar-benar seekor kecoa yang hidup di kerajaan Ayahnya dan jatuh cinta pada seorang gadis manusia bernama Sarah, disini Rico de Coro rela mati demi seorang Sarah yang kala itu ketakutan melihat Kecoa Percobaan yang lebih menyeramkan daripada Rico. Dan digambarkan juga bagaimana perasaan Ayah si Rico yang Raja sangat kehilangan satu-satunya pewaris tahtanya. Padahal bisa dibilang setiap hari dia wanti-wanti ke Rico untuk berhati-hati.

Kembali ke Metamorfosis Kafka yang fenomenal, terbagi menjadi 3 bagian. Bagian 1 bercerita mengenai bagaimana seorang Gregor Samsa yang tiba-tiba bangun dari tidur malamnya berubah bentuk menjadi seekor kecoa. Bagaimana dia menyadari kondisi dirinya dengan beradaptasi mengenali tubuh barunya kemudian usahanya untuk bangun dari tempat tidur dan perjuangannya untuk berdiri dan membuka pintu kamar disaat keluarganya menantinya untuk sarapan dan mengucapkan selamat bekerja. Bagian 2 bercerita bagaimana reaksi Ayah, Ibu dan adeknya Grete dalam menyikapi perubahan yang terjadi pada Gregor. Disini Grete masih bisa menunjukkan perhatiannya dengan menyediakan makanan untuk Gregor, sedangkan Ibunya yang takut-takut menuju kamar Gregor. Kemudian Ayah yang memang terkesan sama sekali gak mau tahu dan memang sengaja mengucilkan Gregor. Kemudian kelakuan ketiganya yang selalu mebicarakan Gregor dengan berbisik-bisik takut terdengar oleh Gregor, tapi terdengar juga. Juga rasa jijik dan malu mereka apabila Gregor manampakan diri depan orang lain. Bagian 3 bercerita mengenai usaha Gregor untuk menyampaikan perasaannya kepada orang-orang yang dicintainya itu tapi malah mendapat tanggapan yang sangat tidak menyenangkan, yang membuat Gregor akhirnya mati putus asa.

Tapi sebenarnya apa sih Metamorfosis itu, setahu kita yah selalu berhubungan dengan telur larva kepompong dan kupu-kupu yang cantik. Yang sebenarnya diceritakan Kafka adalah Metamorfosis yah Perubahan itu sendiri. Dan seperti kita tahu perubahan selalu terjadi, tetapi setiap orang mempunyai perbedaan sikap terhadap perubahan termasuk apa yang terjadi dengan Gregor dan keluarganya. Menurut hasil Googling, Kecoa sendiri mengalami Metamorfosis yang tidak sempurna karena hanya mengalami 3 stadium yaitu telur-nimfa dan dewasa. Dan kecoa juga mempunya kemampuan beradaptasi yang tidak perlu diragukan lagi, bahkan dalam kondisi ekstrem sekalipun Kecoa bisa bertahan hidup. Tapi yang ini kecoanya mati dalam keputusasaan.

Dan apa yang terjadi terhadap Gregor Samsa, seorang pemuda yang terhimpit oleh kondisi ekonomi dikarenakan Ayahnya yang sudah pensiun dengan hutang yang belum terbayar, Ibunya yang sudah tidak muda lagi dengan penyakit asmanya, juga Adeknya Grete yang masih 17 tahun dan baru senang-senangnya belajar Biola. Gregor menanggung kehidupan 3 orang yang sangat dia cintai hanya dengan menjadi pedagang keliling. Belum target dari perusahaannya dan impiannya untuk menyekolahkan adeknya ke Sekolah Musik. Ayah yang selama ini dibutuhkan oleh Gregor malah bereaksi acuh bahkan cenderung manyiksa dengan melemparinya apel dikarenakan Gregor Kecoa tidak sengaja membuat Ibunya pingsan karena melihatnya tiba-tiba. Sepertinya beban itu terlalu berat untuk Gregor. Dan ketergantungan itu membuat Orang tua Gregor dan adeknya menjadi orang yang skeptis, pikiran sempit, berprasangka bahkan mengalami kesulitan dalam bersosialisasi. Dengan terjadinya Perubahan pada Gregor membuat mereka bertiga tidak bisa berkutik. Dan usaha Gregor untuk menyadarkan mereka memang terkesan sia-sia karena berakhir dengan keputusasaannya hingga membuatnya meninggal di kamarnya sendiri.

Tapi sebenarnya, tidak ada yang sia-sia dari dari sebuah usaha karena sepeninggal Gregor, Orangtua Gregor seperti terbuka pandangannya bahwa hidup tidak hanya dalam sekotak apartemen yang mereka tinggali, tapi diluar itu ternyata banyak yang indah-indah yang bisa dinikmati dan dirasakan. Seperti saat mereka keluar dari apartemen dan sedang naik kereta ke desa diluar kota dan mendiskusikan mengenai masa depan menyadari betapa Grete telah berubah menjadi gadis muda yang cantik.Dan kedua orang tua Gregorpun bisa tersenyum bahagia.

Yang lucu dari buku ini adalah munculnya beberapa figuran seperti Kepala Pegawai yang tiba-tiba datang tepat dihari Gregor berubah, dan lari terbirit-birit saat bertemu Gregor, kemudian para pembantu yang keluar masuk gonta-ganti personel, dan terakhir adalah tiga lelaki misterius yang akhirnya diusir oleh Ayah Gregor.

Dan mengenai Perubahan siapapun yang tidak bisa menghadapinya dengan bijaksana akan tergilas oleh perubahan itu sendiri. Satu Quote dari Mario Teguh: " Selagi muda jadilah petarung bagi mimpi-mimpi anda. sebelum anda menjadi tawanan bagi penyesalan-penyesalan anda".

Buku yang menarik dibaca untuk Manusia Modern kata W.H Anden.

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Dec 30, 2007 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophical, classic-literature, morbid-humor, favorites

Gregor waking up one morning as a bug was a hilarious analogy of the effects an illness can have on someone, as well as on those who are close to him. Though the underlying story behind the hilarity of the analogy was anything but funny. I took it as more of a warning of what NOT to do when a loved-one is afflicted by some unfortunate disease or circumstance. I found his resistance of acknowledging to himself that he had become a bug in the beginning of the story to be very interesting. When he...more Gregor waking up one morning as a bug was a hilarious analogy of the effects an illness can have on someone, as well as on those who are close to him. Though the underlying story behind the hilarity of the analogy was anything but funny. I took it as more of a warning of what NOT to do when a loved-one is afflicted by some unfortunate disease or circumstance. I found his resistance of acknowledging to himself that he had become a bug in the beginning of the story to be very interesting. When he couldn't ignore his state any longer, he looked to others' reactions as to how he would look at his own condition. As he was trying to unlock his bedroom door to let his parents and supervisor in, he thought,

"If they took fright, then Gregor would have no further responsibility and could rest in peace. But if they took it all calmly, then he had no reason to get excited either and he could, if he hurried, actually be at the station by eight."

The reaction of those around him, and most importantly, those of his closest loved-ones, is what influenced his own attitude towards himself and his own state. He became completely ashamed of himself, striving to completely hide himself from view, though it took great effort and pain on his part to do so. His imprisonment, or rather, his confinement from the company of others, had a devastating affect upon his mental well-being and in turn, affected his physical well-being. Such a sad story and the fact that his family didn't feel remorse for their actions, but relief for themselves at his death... I don't believe Kafka was trying to say this is how humans are indubitably, even though most of them try to put on a show of galantry and higher morals. But that humans certainly can become some of the most self-serving, self-centered creatures on Earth. It serves as a warning to us all that while it is good to allow others to serve us from time to time, it is far better to always serve others. Gregor's family had all become accustomed to being taken care of by him. They didn't even mind that he was held in servitude to pay off their debts. This was made evident when the fact was made known that Gregor's father had been saving up extra money earned by Gregor, when it could have been used to pay for his freedom much sooner. Gregor, on the other hand, had been serving his family and loved them purely because of it. His first thought was not of himself, but of the hardship his condition would cause his family.

So lest we fall into such an ugly state of existence, let us guard ourselves by serving those we love, thus loving more those we serve.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Henry Avila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gregor Samsa awakes from a bad dream, into a nightmare.Stuck in his bed, this traveling salesman, has overnight been transformed. Gregor is now a hideous bug. Dung beetle ,a cockroach , does it matter?He has missed his train, in more ways than one.But Samsa, is a real trooper, still thinks he can make that business trip!Eventually getting off the bed with just a small crash.Opening the locked door and moving around in his many, new, little legs.The parents and sister are shocked, at his appearan...more

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Jan 31, 2010 Harun Harahap rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: punya, fiksi, terjemahan

Saya membaca buku ini 2x. Kenapa?karena buku tipis ini sepertinya sarat dengan makna. Baca sebelum tidur hingga bermimpi ketemu kutu raksasa *lupa berdoa nih dan dalam bus kp.rambutan-merak menuju kantor tercinta di kebon jeruk. Lalu apakah yang saya 'tangkap' dari buku ini?

1. Bekerjalah dengan serius tapi santai. Bekerja dengan hati tanpa paksaan akan membuat pekerjaan lebih mudah dan nikmat untuk dilaksanakan. Jangan takut minta cuti atau istirahat jika sudah lelah, kita berhak untuk mendapatk...more

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May 24, 2012 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: university, classic-literature, short-stories

I don't know quite what to think of Metamorphosis. I did enjoy it, it was certainly an interesting and well written story yet it was - to say the least - incredibly weird. I may perhaps just not be used to the tone adopted by Kafka as this was the first work of his I have ever read.

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect."

The very first sentence practically provides and instant synopsis of the text. This makes it all t...more I don't know quite what to think of Metamorphosis. I did enjoy it, it was certainly an interesting and well written story yet it was - to say the least - incredibly weird. I may perhaps just not be used to the tone adopted by Kafka as this was the first work of his I have ever read.

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect."

The very first sentence practically provides and instant synopsis of the text. This makes it all the more invaluable, yet sudden. You don't see here how or why Gregor has mutated into a giant insect yet that doesn't matter.

(view spoiler)

I recommend this for anyone interested in short stories with morals behind them. Kafka's work here reminded me of Anton Chekhov, whom I also love, in many aspects being equally interesting and inviting for me. This appears to be a classic text well worth reading, discussing and studying.

After further study I observe that the true brilliance of this work is that you can analyse it from any perspective. It can be critiqued as a feminist work, as a prediction about the future and as a tale of alienation. It could be seen through a social-Marxist view or as a psychological tale about the author and his family. But whatever the view it is a highly interesting novella with many interesting questions inspired by it.(less)

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Feb 17, 2008 Forest rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Forest by: Herr Koppensteiner

Said to be one of the most important works of the 20th century, this story mirrors the way humans to this day treat others who are different. This is especially true for people with disabilities. Imagine getting into a car accident and spending the rest of your life without the use of your legs, arms, and voice. How would people treat you? This is why it is highly important for us to be unconsciously competent in our relationships with people with disabilities. Even more important is to focus on...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Roseta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: european-contemporary-litterature

Αεροδρόμιο "Eλευθέριος Βενιζέλος" , 7 και κάτι το πρωί.
Μόλις έχω αποχαιρετήσει μια καλή φίλη που φεύγει για Αυστραλία. Μπαίνω στο βιβλιοπωλείο του αεροδρομίου και αρχίζω να χαζεύω βιβλία. Το μάτι μου πέφτει σ'αυτό."Ο πυρήνας του μύθου της "Μεταμόρφωσης" είναι τόσο απλός όσο και ασύλληπτος: ο Γκρέγκορ Σάμσα, ένας συνηθισμένος άνθρωπος, ξυπνάει ένα πρωί μεταμορφωμένος σε έντομο." διαβάζω στο πίσω μέρος του εξώφυλλου. Μου τραβάει την προσοχή. Γελάω.

Γυρίζω σπίτι και αρχίζω να το διαβάζω. Το αφήγημ...more Αεροδρόμιο "Eλευθέριος Βενιζέλος" , 7 και κάτι το πρωί.
Μόλις έχω αποχαιρετήσει μια καλή φίλη που φεύγει για Αυστραλία. Μπαίνω στο βιβλιοπωλείο του αεροδρομίου και αρχίζω να χαζεύω βιβλία. Το μάτι μου πέφτει σ'αυτό."Ο πυρήνας του μύθου της "Μεταμόρφωσης" είναι τόσο απλός όσο και ασύλληπτος: ο Γκρέγκορ Σάμσα, ένας συνηθισμένος άνθρωπος, ξυπνάει ένα πρωί μεταμορφωμένος σε έντομο." διαβάζω στο πίσω μέρος του εξώφυλλου. Μου τραβάει την προσοχή. Γελάω.

Γυρίζω σπίτι και αρχίζω να το διαβάζω. Το αφήγημα αρχίζει χωρίς πολλά πολλά. Από την πρώτη κιόλας σελίδα μαθαίνεις ότι ο κεντρικός ήρωας, ο Γκρέγκορ Σάμσα, ξυπνά μεταμορφωμένος σε έντομο. Και η ιστορία αρχίζει. Γιος μιας μικροαστικής οικογένειας, ο Γκρέγκορ, απογοητευμένος πλασιέ, είναι η μόνη πηγή χρημάτων στο σπίτι. Μάνα, πατέρας, αδερφή εξαρτώνται από αυτόν. Όταν ξυπνά, συνειδητοποιεί μεν την κατάστασή του, ωστόσο τίποτα δεν αλλάζει στις σκέψεις του. Δεν τρελαίνεται με την κατάστασή του, δεν προσπαθεί να καταλάβει τι του συνέβη, δεν ουρλιάζει, αλλά το μόνο που κάνει είναι να είναι γεμάτος αγωνία για το τι θα κάνει με τη δουλειά, για το πώς θα τα βγάλει πέρα.

Σκέτη τρέλα. Όχι για τον Γκρέγκορ, αλλά για σένα, που το διαβάζεις και βλέπεις να μην εκφράζει την παραμικρή αντίδραση στην κατάστασή του, παρά μια μικρή δυσαρέσκεια για το γεγονός ότι πλέον δεν μπορεί να κινείται τόσο εύκολα. Μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου η ιστορία κυλά έτσι και, αν μπορούσα με μία λέξη να περιγράψω αυτό που ένιωθα, θα το ονόμαζα "ασφυξία". Η οικογένειά του σοκάρεται με το γεγονός. Αρχικά, κυρίως η αδερφή δείχνει σημάδια συμπόνοιας, σταδιακά όμως η οικογένεια η οποία παύει να ελπίζει στο ότι ο Γκρέγκορ θα ξαναγίνει άνθρωπος και θα φέρει λεφτά στο σπίτι, παίρνει τα πάνω της , όλα τα μέλη δουλεύουν και ο Γκρέγκορ αρχίζει να εκλαμβάνεται σαν βάρος και στο τέλος ως μίασμα.

Όσο προχωρούν οι σελίδες, αισθάνεσαι πραγματικά σαν ένα μαχαίρι να μπήγεται αργά και σταθερά μέσα σου. Η τριτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση σού επιτρέπει να ακούς τις σκέψεις και τα λόγια όλων, την οπτική του αγνού και καλού Γκρέγκορ που αγωνιά για μέλλον της οικογένειας του, που αισθάνεται ενοχές για τον πόνο που προκάλεσε, που πονά και από την άλλη την αργή αλλά σταθερή μεταστροφή της οικογένειας που φτάνει στην έσχατη και απόλυτη απάθεια.

Ο αρχικά απλοϊκός μύθος (μεταμόρφωση ανθρώπου σε έντομο) πλέκεται με τέτοια δεξιοτεχνία που το τελικό μήνυμα σε χτυπά στο στήθος. Ο Κάφκα είχε πει "Τα βιβλία που έχουμε ανάγκη είναι εκείνα που πέφτουν σαν το τσεκούρι στην παγωμένη θάλασσα της ψυχής μας". Δεν το περίμενα ποτέ ότι ένα βιβλίο θα μπορούσε να το πετύχει τόσο καλά αυτό.

Εξαιρετικό! (less)

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May 24, 2010 Aerin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: litrachur, read-for-class, well-that-was-terrible

I know, I know, it's a metaphor, but I really disliked this book. Too many GIANT BEETLES. Sure, there's only one, but really, isn't one too many?

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Jan 02, 2013 Vale rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: czech-literature

Che cosa si prova ad essere un pipistrello?

Questo è il titolo di un interessante saggio scritto dal filosofo Thomas Nagel in cui l'autore si chiede come il nostro "io" vivrebbe in un corpo differente. La conclusione, scrive il filosofo, è che solo una totale trasformazione permetterebbe la conoscenza perfetta, solo passando attraverso vari stadi, fino alla completa mimesi, si può comprendere cosa provi un pipistrello, ma un pipistrello pensa?
Lorenzo De Carli, filosofo svizzero, fa un interessa...more Che cosa si prova ad essere un pipistrello?

Questo è il titolo di un interessante saggio scritto dal filosofo Thomas Nagel in cui l'autore si chiede come il nostro "io" vivrebbe in un corpo differente. La conclusione, scrive il filosofo, è che solo una totale trasformazione permetterebbe la conoscenza perfetta, solo passando attraverso vari stadi, fino alla completa mimesi, si può comprendere cosa provi un pipistrello, ma un pipistrello pensa?
Lorenzo De Carli, filosofo svizzero, fa un interessante parallelo tra questo saggio e il romanzo di Franz Kafka La metamorfosi. Infatti, Kafka, in un certo senso aveva preceduto non solo per l'idea, ma anche nella conclusione, il lavoro di Thomas Nagel.
Gregor Samsa, il protagonista del breve romanzo di Kafka una mattina scopre che il suo corpo si è tramutato in quello di uno scarafaggio. Persiste la sua mente umana, che pensa, si arrovella e si preoccupa di non turbare con il suo sordido aspetto i genitori e la sorella.
Gregor non è mai completamente l'animale che appare ai famigliari in quanto pensa, si commuove, ma non lo interessano più gli aspetti materiali dell'esistenza: rinuncia al mobilio della sua stanza e lentamente smette di nutrirsi.
Eppure non riesce a privarsi del quadro che possiede nella sua stanza, perché sente che lo lega ad un aspetto più profondo dell'essere uomini.
E' la bellezza ciò a cui non vuole rinunciare, anche a rischio della sua incolumità: si mostrerà allo sguardo di alcuni sconosciuti pur di poter ascoltare da vicino la sonata che la sorella esegue con il violino. Lui ne comprende la bellezza a dispetto degli umani, troppo umani, che ne contestano l'esecuzione. Lentamente assistiamo alla fine del pensiero del protagonista; la sfera linguistica cederà il passo al silenzio, sarà la mente muta dell'insetto a vincere: la metamorfosi sarà compiuta.
Perché chiedersi cosa si provi ad essere un insetto o un pipistrello è una domanda troppo umana.

Per chi ha tempo, un cortometraggio a tema Il sorriso di Diana, davvero suggestivo, anche se il protagonista è un ragno:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POgSnT...

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Jun 25, 2010 Nick Black rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lost-to-the-game

over the past 10 years, i can think of at least three passionate, intense, very loud and vulgar public arguments about this book. odd. carmen zumot and i once didn't speak for two days after i took issue with her blasé claim that "Gregor Samsa was turned into a fly", which sounded at the time some height of willful ridiculousness... conceived and executed in the hopes of obliterating my Weltanschauung's very foundation, it seemed some existential Alpha Strike, a slouch towards barbaric Manichaei...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Ken rated it 5 of 5 stars

Endlessly dissected, ripped apart, its guts laid out on a slab, sewn back together, reconstructed, reinterpreted, misunderstood, misinterpreted, parodied, plagiarized, overanalyzed, and sadly sometimes underappreciated. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is one of those jumping off points for modern literature, a key touchstone where so many good writers -- Borges, Nabokov, García Márquez – found inspiration in his work and studied it like a textbook on great writing.

But what is the metamorphosis? A dark...more Endlessly dissected, ripped apart, its guts laid out on a slab, sewn back together, reconstructed, reinterpreted, misunderstood, misinterpreted, parodied, plagiarized, overanalyzed, and sadly sometimes underappreciated. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is one of those jumping off points for modern literature, a key touchstone where so many good writers -- Borges, Nabokov, García Márquez – found inspiration in his work and studied it like a textbook on great writing.

But what is the metamorphosis? A dark fantasy about a man who wakes up one day to find himself transformed into a vile insect-like creature? Or an absurdist tale of a schizophrenic who believes he’s been turned into a human-sized beetle, terrorizing his family with his decrepit mental state? Kafka left that open for us to decide, even asking his original publisher to remove any imagery involving an insect off the cover. The first edition cover (you can find it on Wikipedia: ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Metam...) is not a definitive statement on the story either. Is it the afflicted Gregor Samsa we see or his unnerved father fleeing from the sight of the creature in his son’s room? As it was written in German, Kafka never definitively stated what Gregor had become. The term he used, in what has now become one of the more famous opening lines in literature, to describe Gregor’s transformation was “ungeheueres Ungeziefer,” which literally means “unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice.” This has been translated (and mistranslated) as “gigantic insect” in some cases, but in later years, more translators have settled on “monstrous vermin,” as this seems to suit Kafka’s vague intent much better. But if you want to read the numerous theories, Google the book. I’ll leave it to those who are far more and far less philosophical than I.

In its construction, The Metamorphosis is flawless. Kafka upends the entire structure of modern storytelling, giving us the climax first, never explaining the possible source for Gregor’s affliction. Instead, Kafka leaves us in the dénouement, showing us the ugly effects of Gregor’s transformation on his too dependent family, who must now care for this unwanted monstrosity. As the tables are turned, the family shuns Gregor, locking him away. We then see Gregor move in two opposing directions -- becoming more louse-like in his basic behavior (such as eating garbage), but also more human in his fantasies (and sudden appreciation of music). It is this complex contrast that makes Gregor seem more human to us, thus playing into Kafka’s slippery reality that confuses as much as illuminates.

And yet, The Metamorphosis is not all doom and gloom. It’s actually quite funny. Sure, it has a dark, black sense of humor, but nevertheless, you can’t help but laugh at parts. When the new house maid spies Gregor for the first time, she does not turn tail, screaming in horror like his family. She merely states, “Come over here for a minute you old dung beetle!” Or the lodgers, who upon seeing Gregor slowly crawling towards them, do not try to smash him or exit the premises. They try to negotiate out of paying rent to Gregor’s father in light of the “disgusting conditions prevailing in this apartment and family.” Even Gregor’s ultimate fate, which I won’t give away, is handled in a way that the cast members from Monty Python’s Flying Circus would certainly appreciate.

With so many layers to it, The Metamorphosis still remains one of the most studied and widely imitated novels of the 20th century. But in its purest sense, it is an amazing, perfectly crafted, dark little fable.(less)

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Aug 03, 2007 Amir rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophical

ولادیمیر ناباکوف در مورد این کتاب حرف قشنگی زده:اگر کسی مسخ کافکا را چیزی بیش از یک خیال پردازی حشره‌شناسانه بداند به او تبریک می‌گویم چون به صف خوانندگان خوب و بزرگ پیوسته است. در مورد سبک کتاب مسخ نکته ای که از لحاظ ادبیات خیلی مهم هست تمایز بین این سبک وهم آلود کافکا با سبکهای سوررئال و خیال پردازانه هست.کافکا با این نوع نوشتار سبکی رو در ادبیات بنیان گذاشته که بعد از کافکا به اسم سبک وهم آلود کافکائی شناخته میشه. (یکی از دلایلی که من این کتاب رو الان خوندم به خاطر کتاب قبلی بود که خوندم (کتا...more ولادیمیر ناباکوف در مورد این کتاب حرف قشنگی زده:اگر کسی مسخ کافکا را چیزی بیش از یک خیال پردازی حشره‌شناسانه بداند به او تبریک می‌گویم چون به صف خوانندگان خوب و بزرگ پیوسته است. در مورد سبک کتاب مسخ نکته ای که از لحاظ ادبیات خیلی مهم هست تمایز بین این سبک وهم آلود کافکا با سبکهای سوررئال و خیال پردازانه هست.کافکا با این نوع نوشتار سبکی رو در ادبیات بنیان گذاشته که بعد از کافکا به اسم سبک وهم آلود کافکائی شناخته میشه. (یکی از دلایلی که من این کتاب رو الان خوندم به خاطر کتاب قبلی بود که خوندم (کتاب اوهام‌) و در فسمتهایی از اون کتاب از سبک وهم آلود کافکا استفاده شده بود. قسمت اوج کتاب ابتدای کتاب هست که نقش اول داستان با یه حالت وهم آلود و آشفته از خواب بیدار میشه و میبینه که ظاهرش به شکل یه حشره بزرگ تبدیل شده.محیط داستان یادآور شرایط اجتماعی و سیاسی خاص اروپای شرقی در اون سالهاست و رویدادها در محیطی خرده‌بورژوا و در میان افرادی جریان می‌یابد که همواره درگیر نگرانی فردایند و غرق مشغولیتهای پیش‌پا افتاده هر روزه ی کارشان. جزئیات وقایع به شکلی واقع‌گرا روایت شده است، اما خود رویدادها از قوانین زمان و مکان خارج و به نشانه‌های واقعیتی متعالی تبدیل می‌شوند.چیزی که به صورت بارز در کتاب میشه دید طرز برخورد اجتماع یا خانواده با کسایی هست که طرز فکر متفاوتی نسبت به چیزی که عموم و عوام جامعه قبول دارن از خودشون نشون میدن. (خود کافکا هم مثل گرگور از دسته این آدمها بوده.) تصویری از نظام های کومونیستی که ارزشهای اقتصادی افراد ملاک بهره وری اونها هست رو هم در این داستان میشه دید.کافکا طنز بسیار ماهرانه و زیرکانه ای رو در داستانش قرار داده و از روی قصد طوری این طنز رو مخفی کرده که به نظر واقعی و تلخ بیاد و به نظر من از این کار و زیرکیش لذت برده. مثل کسی که شوخی زیرکانه ای میکنه و از اینکه میبینه خیلی ها نمی فهمن لذت میبره. زندگی کافکا بیانگر این هست که شخصیتش تا حد زیادی دستخوش نا امیدی بوده ولی به نحو متفاوتی از بقیه نا امیدی ها. شخصیت کافکا از نا امیدیش در رنج نبوده بلکه به عنوان یه حقیقت برتر بهش نگاه میکرده (به نوعی با اندیشه های فلسفی نیچه قرابت داره این طرز فکر). مثل چند تا دیگه از داستانهای کافکا توی این داستانش هم از مرگ به عنوان یه اتفاق مهم و تاثیرگذار (ولی نه چندان بد) یاد کرده. کافکا به طرز ماهرانه ای لطافت و مهربانی رو در شخصیت گرگور که در اوج بدبختی هست به نمایش گذاشته(less)

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Dec 26, 2007 Kathy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Technically I read this book in German, and if I could give it zero stars, I would. I read the first sentence (in German, mind you) around 3:30 in the morning earlier this semester, and was convinced I was loosing my mind and that I couldn't be translating it right. It read: "Gregor Samsa awoke on morning to discover that he had somehow transformed into a giant cockaroach". After typing the sentence into freetranslation.com and finding out I actually had read and translated it correctly, I thoug...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Ghadasedik rated it 4 of 5 stars

تنبيه:إذالمتقرأالروايةبعدفأنصحكبعدمقراءةالريفيوحتيلاتحرقأحداثها

القصة عن"جريجور" موظف مبيعات ,يعمل في شركة ليسدد ديون عائلته , يمقت الشركة و العمل لكن حبه الشديد و
تفانيه لأهله هو ما جعله يرغم نفسه علي ذلك, بل و يراه واجبا.

يصحو ذات يوم ليجد نفسه تحول إلي حشرة!!!الغريب هو ردة فعله, لم يبد امتعاضا , باستثناء امتعاضه للصعوبات التي واجهها في الحركة في البداية فقط!!!
و كأنه يحتقر نفسه منذ أمد بعيد,و التحول ما هو إلا تعبير خارجي عن هذا لن يغير الكثير.

ما سر هذا الاحتقار؟؟ هل هو شعوره باستغلال أهله الخفي...more

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Apr 11, 2008 Jason Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: modernist-fiction

alien, alienation, alienate, alienated, dead vermin/jew

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May 10, 2013 Ahmed rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, pdfs, translated

حين أفاق جريجور سامسا ذات صباح من أحلام مزعجة, وجد نفسه و قد تحول في فراشه إلي حشرة عملاقة

الرواية كئيبة جدًا و بجد أحزنتني بشدة بسبب إنها واقعية جدًا رغم إنها بتتكلم عن حاجة عمرها ما هتحصل

تخيل كدة لما يحصل موقف صعب ليك يصيبك بالشلل و أنك عاجز علي الحركة

ساعتها هيبقي رد فعل اللي حصلك ده شكله إيه علي أفراد أسرتك و الناس اللي حواليك

الرواية بجد مُحزنة جدًا و نصيحة للي هيقراها يحاول مايقرهاش و هو في موود وحش لأن ممكن تصيبه باكتئاب حاد

ملحوظة : الترجمة بجد مش حلوة خالص .. أنا ماحستش بالمتعة اثناء قرائ...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic, owned, reviewed

A man who wakes up and finds himself transformed into a cockroach and then dismisses the discovery to get more sleep is surely a strange way to open a story.

But to have the climax in the beginning can urge the reader to immerse himself further into the story. It's like climbing down from the top of Mt. Everest, which in itself, is not a simple journey.

In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, we meet Gregor Samsa, who just turned into a monstrous vermin. But if there's a monstrous vermin who's funny...more

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Mar 24, 2008 bup rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: you

Shelves: 2008, audiobook, not-1001-but-the-list-is-stupid, novella

I didn't know what to expect - the central gimmick, of course, is a cultural touchstone - but I had no idea what Kafka did with it. "Come for the bug man, stay for the ..."?

Imagine if Dostoevsky decided to write a sci-fi.

It's odd. And it has humor. Especially in Part I. Really dry stuff. If I were a bug, I think my reaction would be along the lines of "AAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!!!! I'M A BUG!!! I'M A BUG!!!" but Gregor is more like, "Wow, the boss is NOT going to like this."

It also has despair and lonelin...more

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Nov 10, 2009 Weinz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I am privileged to have a beautiful commute every morning where I pass by a lake surrounded by oak covered golden hills, a very Steinbeck setting. There is a large bridge on this drive that has been a suicide favorite over the years. So, on my drive when I see anyone on the bridge I can’t help but become very concerned. There rarely is anyone on the bridge as it is in the middle of a forest and hard to get to. So this morning as I came upon the bridge I was a little grief stricken to see not one...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Hafeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: أدب-عالمي-مترجم

رواية رائعة و عميقة المعاني
لا شك أن القصة و اﻷحداث غريبة جدا, و تبدو سوريالية الى حد بعيد, مع ذلك وجدتها واقعية ... فكر في حالة انسان مرض فجأة بالزهايمر أو بمرض أقعده كشلل كامل, كيف يكون رد فعل من حوله و شعوره شخصيا حيال ما يحصل له, و العجز الكامل عن التواصل مع اﻵخرين

الرواية محزنة, و يبقى احداثها في المخيلة

مﻻحظة حول ترجمة الرواية:
قرأت الرواية بترجمة "الدسوقي فهمي" ﻷعمال كافكا الكاملةمن منشورات الهيئة العامة لقصور الثقافة ...
لﻷسف كانت الترجمة من أسوأ الترجمات على اﻹطﻻق, و تصل الى حد الجريمة اﻷدبي...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Ozan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

Diğer sosyal kitap ağındaki yorumlar üzerine (öykünün tam kavranmaması) yaptığım bir yorumdur.

Bu kitabı can yayınlarından yada cem yayınevinden okumanızı tavsiye ederim. Cem yayınevinin baskısında Politzer'in incelemesi de bulunuyor. Genel olarak yorumlara baktığımızda kitabın bazı okuyucular tarafından anlaşılmadığını veya anlaşılamadığını görüyorum. Bu konuda dediğim gibi doğru yayınevi ve doğru çevirmen seçimi kitabı daha net olarak algılayabilmemize olanak sağlayacaktır. Genel olarak akıcı...more Diğer sosyal kitap ağındaki yorumlar üzerine (öykünün tam kavranmaması) yaptığım bir yorumdur.

Bu kitabı can yayınlarından yada cem yayınevinden okumanızı tavsiye ederim. Cem yayınevinin baskısında Politzer'in incelemesi de bulunuyor. Genel olarak yorumlara baktığımızda kitabın bazı okuyucular tarafından anlaşılmadığını veya anlaşılamadığını görüyorum. Bu konuda dediğim gibi doğru yayınevi ve doğru çevirmen seçimi kitabı daha net olarak algılayabilmemize olanak sağlayacaktır. Genel olarak akıcı olmadığı yorumu yapılmış bu durumda yanlış yayınevi-çevirmen tercihi olarak gözalınması gerektiğini düşünüyorum. Can ve Cem baskılarında kitap çok akıcı ayrıca Kafka'nın betimlemeleri üzerine de diyecek birşey olmadığını düşünüyorum. Ayrıca İthaki yayınlarından bu kitabı kesinlike okumamanızı tavsiye ederim.
Açık bir zihinle ve dikkatli bir okuma ile kitabı okuduğumuzda felsefi bir edebi öyküdür bu kitap. Diğer türlü yani sadece öykü olarak kitabı okuyup incelediğimizde basit-sıradan bir öykü olarak adlandırıp, öykünün basitliği üzerine birçok fikir yürütebiliriz. Kitabın kavranmasının diğer önemli kısmıda okuyucunun zihnine bağlıdır. Anlatılan basit ama akıcı bir öyküdür ama anlatılan ve anlatılmak istenen bir sistem eleştirisidir.

Öncelikle Gregor'un neden bir böceğe dönüştüğü konusunda herhangi bir ipucu veya bilgi kitapta yer almıyor. Gregor'un ailesinin aldığı borçlar yüzünden istemediği bir işte çalıştığını ve ailesinin aldığı borçları öder ödemez bu işten ayrılacağını bilgisi aktarılıyor. Gregor'un zoraki olarak bu işe girdiğini ve bu durumdan rahatsız olduğu ve yine bu durumdan kaynaklı kendisine yabancılaştığını görüyoruz. Gregor dönüşümden önce ailenin tüm yükünü omuzlarına almış biridir. Dönüşümden sonra yani çalışamaz duruma geldikten sonra Gregor'un odaya kapatılıp karantinaya alındığını görüyoruz. Sistem için Gregor artık işe yaramayan birisidir çünkü artık çalışamamakta-çalışmamaktadır. Gregor'un sistem dışı farklılığı onun tecrit edilmesi sonucunu doğurmuştur. Gregor'u hem bir hasta hem de bir tutksak olarak betimleyebiliriz aslında. Ailesi ilk olarak onu bir hasta olarak görmüş ilgilenmiş, ama daha sonra onun bu dönüşümünün aile içi çıkarlarına ters düştüğünü görüp onun tutsak etmişler, yok saymaya başlamışlardır. Buradaki aile figürü aslında bir nevi sistemi temsil etmektedir.Aile çıkarlarına artık yaramayan oğullarını artık bir böcek olarak adlandırmışlardır. Ailede oterite babadır. Anne ve kızkardeşin yoğun ilgisi (uyku saatlerindeki ilgiler vs) ataerkil toplumun etkilerini göstermektedir. Gregor'un zoraki olarak yapmak zorunda olduğu bu işten bir böcek olarak kurtulduğunu, kendisine yabancılaşmışken döünüşüm sonrası müziğe olan ilgisini keşfettiğini görüyoruz. Ama tam ollarak bir özgürleşme durumun sağlanmadığı çok açık bir biçimde anlaşılmakta. Gregor ailesi tarafından dönüşümden sonra düşünmeyen sorgulamayan biri olarak görülüyor artık onun bir insan olmadığı çıkarımı yapılıyor. Gregor ise tam tersi hala içinde insani duygular taşıyıp (ailesi düşünmesi vs.), düşüenbiliyor.Ölümü de bir insan gibi noktalanıyor. Kısacası sistem bu öyküde kendisinden olmayanı çok net bir biçimde bir nevi tecrit ederek, eritmeyi başarıyor. Akıcı, basit ve çok anlamlı bir kapitalist sistem öyküsü. Ayrıca Kafka'nın bazı noktalarda(aile gibi) Gregor ile uyuştuğu notlar arasında yer alıyor. (less)

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Feb 16, 2013 Shane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, the-ab-surd

The Metamorphosis is an exploration of the degradation of the modern man.

The first line holds the key to the entire story. "One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug." The sentence treats the situation with complete indifference, in a way that makes it seem that he isn't even actually a bug, for how could such a phenomenon be treated so carelessly? Gregor is noted to have woken up from 'anxious dr...more The Metamorphosis is an exploration of the degradation of the modern man.

The first line holds the key to the entire story. "One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug." The sentence treats the situation with complete indifference, in a way that makes it seem that he isn't even actually a bug, for how could such a phenomenon be treated so carelessly? Gregor is noted to have woken up from 'anxious dreams.' This traces his transformation to past experiences; it is later revealed that Gregor is a hard working man, consumed by his labor to provide wealth for his family. The modern man is often pointed out to be constantly anxious and stressed; Gregor waking up from anxious dreams symbolizes the modern man's consciousness.

The vermin he turns into represents an existential crisis, a depression. No one can understand him as a bug; his shouts and cries are received as indecipherable grumbles. His family tries painstakingly hard to revive Gregor, and his manager shows up early on in the story to force him out of bed. Gregor, however, is stuck in this position. He has become disillusioned with his life. No "locksmith" and no "doctor" can cure his "vermin transformation." When his family eventually sees him, they are terrified.

As time goes on, his workplace gives up on Gregor, and his family slowly starts to lose hope. Gregor's sister constantly attempts to feed and nurse him, which makes her seem to represent his will to live. Gregor's mother, who is very distant to the situation, seems to be his reason, or the neutral standpoint in the predicament. Gregor's father, who insists on the family's progression and advocates to forget about their once-healthy son, seems to represent Gregor's suicidal thoughts and his longing to die or perhaps 'dissipate.'

In fact, as it seems with the impartial narration and reactions to the vermin he has transformed into, Gregor has seemingly been a bug ever since he got his job. He just took notice to it, which lead him to a downward spiral, eventually collapsing under his own depression. His realization of his anxiety - the modern existential crisis - lead to his downfall. The disenchantment that comes when he realizes the utter absurdity of his life is when he transforms, or rather picks up on, the emptiness of his soul.

Society's reactions to Gregor's position, the one who has been lost in the busy chaos of modernism, is bitter resentment. His manager says, "I thought I knew you as a calm, reasonable person, and now you appear suddenly to want to start parading around in weird moods" (pg 14). This is exactly the archetypal modern approach to depression.

His family quickly forgets about his death, and only considers his life in the fiscal perspective. Gregor was used as an economic host for his family, used purely for his income. With the last sentence the mother and father now readily turn to their new host; their daughter.

Kafka is the modern writer. As W.H. Auden says, "Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of "modern man."" The Metamorphosis is a thesis on the modern man's anxiety, the modern man's disparity.(less)

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May 24, 2012 Traci rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thank goodness this is a short story because I don't think I could have suffered through a full-length novel by Kafka. I read this years ago in school (can't remember if it was high school or college, but either way, it was many, many years ago) and didn't like it then. The title is on that infamous classics list of mine, so I thought I'd give it another go. After all, when I re-read "Call of the Wild", I loved it; perhaps that magic would strike again.

No such luck.

To give you an idea of how muc...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Guenda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Avendo letto questo libro in un pomeriggio, ho avuto modo di assimilare più rapidamente quello che Kafka voleva dire attraverso il suo libro-racconto "La metamorfosi".
Gregor Samsa, trasformato in insetto, è un personaggio che suscita tenerezza nel lettore quanto disgusto nei suoi genitori: è solo, e credo che questo sia proprio quello che Kafka voleva trasmettere.
Gregor è incapace di farsi capire dai suoi genitori, ma riesce a capirli perfettamente; vive relegato in una stanza sporca e umida,...more Avendo letto questo libro in un pomeriggio, ho avuto modo di assimilare più rapidamente quello che Kafka voleva dire attraverso il suo libro-racconto "La metamorfosi".
Gregor Samsa, trasformato in insetto, è un personaggio che suscita tenerezza nel lettore quanto disgusto nei suoi genitori: è solo, e credo che questo sia proprio quello che Kafka voleva trasmettere.
Gregor è incapace di farsi capire dai suoi genitori, ma riesce a capirli perfettamente; vive relegato in una stanza sporca e umida, ed è costretto a sfuggire al suo stesso padre che, in un attimo di follia, tenta di ucciderlo (riuscendoci). Questa non è altro che la reale condizione delle persone sole e incomprese: riescono a comprendere i propri simili molto facilmente, ma che fatica riuscire a farsi capire! E che sofferenza quando anche le persone più amate si rivelano nemiche, improvvisamente ostili per un mutamento di apparenze.
La cosa che mi ha colpito più di tutte è proprio l'atteggiamento della famiglia di Gregor, che è un'immagine attualissima dei vari gruppi di amici e di conoscenti. Tutto procede alla perfezione quando Gregor è un giovane lavoratore, ma non appena egli si trasforma in uno scarafaggio l'amore nei suoi confronti diminuisce, o perlomeno aumentano i pregiudizi e le paure nei suoi confronti: la madre lo rifugge, disgustata; il padre lo evita, irato. Solo la sorella Grete gli dà da mangiare e lo pulisce, anche se alla fine pure lei decide che è inutile continuare a far vivere il fratello.
Il padre, addirittura, in un momento di rabbia e disperazione gli lancia contro una mela che gli rimane conficcata nella schiena e che infine lo uccide.
L'immagine metaforica della famiglia si trasforma in quella dell'ipocrita per eccellenza: disponibile nei momenti di felicità, fuggevole in quelli di difficoltà. Tanto che, alla fine, i Samsa accolgono la morte di Gregor come una liberazione; e dopo un breve momento di dolore per la perdita di quello che dopotutto è sempre un figlio, i tre escono a fare una passeggiata. (less)

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Sep 29, 2007 Núria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007, 5-favoritos, mios, read-more-than-once, literatura-en-aleman, siglo-xx

Reducir Kafka a una reseña es simplificarlo. Kafka se tiene que leer. Comentarlo puede ser divertido pero siempre equivale limitarlo a una cuartilla cuadriculada que no puede transmitir toda la complejidad que es Kafka. Y por más que cuente lo mucho que me fascina, divierte y horroriza 'La metamorfosis' nada se acercará ni lo más mínimo a la sensación real que me produce cada vez que la leo, porque cada vez es prácticamente como la primera vez, o mejor.

Para mí, 'La metamorfosis' es muchas cosas...more Reducir Kafka a una reseña es simplificarlo. Kafka se tiene que leer. Comentarlo puede ser divertido pero siempre equivale limitarlo a una cuartilla cuadriculada que no puede transmitir toda la complejidad que es Kafka. Y por más que cuente lo mucho que me fascina, divierte y horroriza 'La metamorfosis' nada se acercará ni lo más mínimo a la sensación real que me produce cada vez que la leo, porque cada vez es prácticamente como la primera vez, o mejor.

Para mí, 'La metamorfosis' es muchas cosas, entre ellas uno de los libros que más marcaron mi adolescencia, pero sobre todo es una historia de Gregor Samsa, un viajante de comercio que vive totalmente alienado, al que no le gusta nada su trabajo pero que se ve obligado a hacerlo para pagar las deudas de sus padres (que mientras tanto se están en casa rascándose la barriga), que no tiene amigos, ni vida amorosa, y que echa de menos un hogar. Tiene un trabajo que lo esclaviza hasta tal punto que si un día no se presenta a la hora convenida, el encargado va a su casa a sacarle de la cama. No ha faltado ni un puñetero día al trabajo y prácticamente todo el dinero que gana lo entrega a sus padres, que en lugar de utilizarlo todo para pagar de una vez las deudas, se guardan a escondidas una parte. ¡Vaya panorama! Gregor está tan ligado a esta vida que la única forma de librarse de estas obligaciones es transformándose en un insecto, pero de lo que no se podrá librar nunca será del sentimiento de culpa.

Gregor es diferente a otros porque en el fondo sabe que la vida que llevaba antes de la transformación era una vida miserable. Su único consuelo era hacer trabajos de ebanistería, que no es nada más que crear una cosa con las manos, algo no tan diferente de escribir. Y soñar en poder ahorrar para mandar a su hermana al conservatorio para que así pueda tener una vida mejor. Con este panorama, Gregor crea, por ejemplo, un marco que cuelga en su habitación, pero como no tenía foto de ninguna chica a la que enmarcar, coge la foto de una mujer que salía en una revista. Por Dios, qué patético. En cambio, todos los que rodean a Gregor son de lo más felices llevando una vida rutinaria, gris y burguesa. No es que a Gregor le disguste todo lo de la vida burguesa: a él le hubiera encantado encontrar una mujer, y tener hijos, y sobre todo un hogar, pero no le gusta el peaje que tiene que pagar por esto, básicamente un trabajo que lo esclaviza y unas convenciones que lo ahogan.

Gregor también es diferente a los demás porque es un trozo de pan. Dios, es tan bueno que te dan ganas de gritarle para que deje de serlo, para que deje de sentirse mal por una familia que una vez que ha dejado de ser una fuente de ingresos lo arrinconan. Todos los que le rodean son seres egoístas y mezquinos, y tienen la habilidad para hacer creer que el egoísta y mezquino es Gregor. Y la hermana que al principio parecía tan cariñosa y amable, al final demuestra ser la más cruel. Y el final es terrible, no tanto por la muerte de Gregor (la muerte puede ser entendida como una liberación, y con la vida que llevaba tampoco no tan metafórica), sino por como los padres vuelven a comportarse como unos amargados y depositan todas sus esperanzas en su otra hija, volverán a vivir a través de otra persona y volverán a exigirle que cumpla todas las expectativas que ellos tienen, sin tener en cuenta su opinión, ligándola para siempre.

Lo he vuelto a hacer. He vuelto a reducir Kafka a una interpretación. Pero Kafka es mucho más. Leed Kafka. Releed Kafka. Id más lejos de 'La metamorfosis'. Porque cuánto más leáis de Kafka más os fascinará, más querréis leer.
(less)

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May 05, 2013 Seham . rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: finish

كنتُ قد قرأت مسخ كافكا بترجمة: منير البَعلبكي وقمتُ بإعادتها في اليومين الماضيين حتّى استقر على رأي أستطيع أن أُحدد فيه موقفي اتجاه منير وكافكا. لأن سأحتاج منير لرحلة قادمة بإذن الله مع البؤساء وهمنغواي.

لكنّي سأتحدّث أولاً عن كافكا وغريغور. عندما قرأتها لأول لم اخفي دهشتي من أول سطر بدأ يقول فيه: ما إن أفاق غريغور سامسا، ذات صباح، من أحلامه المزعجة، حتى وجد نفسه وقد تحوّل في فراشه، إلى حشرة ضخمة. تهيأ أنّه شيء ممكن الحدوث! بطريقةٍ ما، مالذي أيقظ في غريغور أحلامه المزعجة حتى يضحِي حشرة وضخمة؟ هل...more
كنتُ قد قرأت مسخ كافكا بترجمة: منير البَعلبكي وقمتُ بإعادتها في اليومين الماضيين حتّى استقر على رأي أستطيع أن أُحدد فيه موقفي اتجاه منير وكافكا. لأن سأحتاج منير لرحلة قادمة بإذن الله مع البؤساء وهمنغواي.

لكنّي سأتحدّث أولاً عن كافكا وغريغور. عندما قرأتها لأول لم اخفي دهشتي من أول سطر بدأ يقول فيه: ما إن أفاق غريغور سامسا، ذات صباح، من أحلامه المزعجة، حتى وجد نفسه وقد تحوّل في فراشه، إلى حشرة ضخمة. تهيأ أنّه شيء ممكن الحدوث! بطريقةٍ ما، مالذي أيقظ في غريغور أحلامه المزعجة حتى يضحِي حشرة وضخمة؟ هل كان الدين الذي يعتكف على كتفيه ويثقل خطواته؟ دينه لأبيه؟ هل كان غريغور يجد حياته نظاميّة بطريقة كان يكرهها كافكا في حقيقة واجبه وعمله؟ هل ما كان يعيشه غريغور يمكن أن يحول المرء إلى مسخ أمام الآخرين وليس نفسه؟ والمغزى الكبير وراء رباطة جأش غريغور أمام وضعه كان شيئًا محيّرًا لم أستطع استبيانه! كلّ هذه الأسئلة يمكن لها أن تتدفق إلى رأسك ما أن تقرأ " انمساخ كافكا" تسلل إليّ أنّه ما كتب هنا لم يكن سوى رموز وأحتاج إلى فكها، كأن تكون غرفة غريغور وحاجته إلى أثاثه هو رغبة الدفينة في تشبثه بإنسانيته وأمل والدته في عودته يومًا إلى هيئته الأولى. كما سألت فاطمة مرّة: هل كان غريغور حشرة ثم صار إنسـان؟ وأجد في سؤالها هذا ألتقاطه دقيقة لرابط قد جمع بين غريغور الإنسان وغريغور الحشرة "قذارة غرفته" التي أشار إليها والده يوم أتى كبير الموظفين وقبل أن ينكشف ما أصاب الابن في غرفته ومنعه من القيام بواجبه.
هذه النص الوحيد الذي يستحث فيك بشكلٍ كبير استعمال خيالك، أن تتخيّل هيئة غريغور وغرفته وتعاطف أخته الذي سرعان ما أصبح اشمئزاز. وتلك العاطفة التي قد تخرج رأسها فيك كلّ ما أكملت القراءة بأن الحكاية يمكن في نهايتها أن تكون مجرّد حلم مزعج قد يستيقظ منه صاحبه! لكن مع اعتياد غريغور على بطنه المقوّس وظهره الصلب وأرجله الكثيرة والهشّة حتّى تبدأ تستبعد فكرة العودة. أكثر ما أثار دهشتي هو الكلام الذي ظنّه غريغور في بدأ الأمر كلامًا مفهومًا وتمتم به كبير الموظفين بأنه ليس صوتًا بشريًا! هذا المشهد دار بأفكاري إلى الشارع وإلى صحراء مجدبة تتمازج فيها السّماء الرمادية والأرض الرماديّة على نحوٍ يمتنع معه تمييز إحدهما من الأخرى. جاء في ذهني فلم "الرجل الفيل" الذي قام بأداء البطولة فيه هوبكنز وقصّته المستندة في حقيقتها على واقع رجل مشوه في العصر الفكتوري. التماثل بينه وبين غريغور غريب! حاجة الكائن مهما كانت هيئته إلى قبول الآخرين وعاطفتهم يجعلهم مثيرين للشفقة! وأظن الموضوع غير مقتصر على كون الإنسـان لابد أن يكون مشوّه حتّى يبحث عن القبول. الفطره في التكوّين الحسن والتكوين الذي في طبيعته قد يعجب الآخرين. مما يجعل الكثيرين يخبأ بعضًا من تشوهاته الداخليّة لنفسه. بحجّة أن العالم لا يحتاج إلا أن يرى شيئًا جميلاً. غريغور رغم ضخامة جسمه وقذارته وبقعه التي يمتلئ بها السقف كان يرهف السمع لعزف "غريت" وهذا استفاهم كبير يلقيه كافكا بين أفكارك، هل تفهم الحيوانات "الحشرات" مالذي يعنيّه الصوت؟ هل كان غريغور إنسانًا بما يكفي ليتقدم نحو أخته في محاولة نسيان للآخرين وحاجته المشدودة لفهم الحسّ الذي ترسمه غريت على كمانها؟

المزعج في ترجمة منير البَعلبكي استمراره في تكرار بدايات الجمل مثل: في ميسور المرء. أيضًا ابتداعه لكلمة لم أجد لها أساس صحيح في لسان العرب هي كلمة "تتمترس" في غرفتك. لا أعرف أيّ مصدر قد يأتِ بهذه الكلمة، وجدتها غريبة عندما قرأتها أول مرّة وظلّت عالقة في ذهني لفترة طويلة.

كل ما جاء أعلاه لا يعد قراءه بقدر ما كانت مسودة تحتاج أن تخرج دون ضبط. بغية الخروج وكفى.(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-book, 2013-books-read, anthropomorphic, classic

It just so happened that as I was listening to this book about a man who overnight turns into a beetle, that I was also cleaning and found a bucket full of stranded roaches. And do you know what I did with them? I drowned them in the bucket and threw them into the yard with only 2 seconds of thought of any sort of mercy. As much as I felt sorry for the metamorphosed Gregor in the story, my sympathy could not extend to dirty disease-carrying real bugs (may they rest in peace and such).

There are...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Benjamin Duffy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books

I’ve spent the last couple of years catching up on famous pieces of literature that, for whatever reason, I never got around to before, especially those that are ubiquitous cultural touchstones. A lifetime of making casual references to Sherlock Holmes, Jekyll and Hyde, The Last of the Mohicans, and so forth, without actually having read the works in question, always left me feeling like a bit of a poser each time I caught myself doing so. And for some reason, that guilty feeling was never stron...more I’ve spent the last couple of years catching up on famous pieces of literature that, for whatever reason, I never got around to before, especially those that are ubiquitous cultural touchstones. A lifetime of making casual references to Sherlock Holmes, Jekyll and Hyde, The Last of the Mohicans, and so forth, without actually having read the works in question, always left me feeling like a bit of a poser each time I caught myself doing so. And for some reason, that guilty feeling was never stronger than when I would refer to something as "Kafka-esque," knowing I had never read any Kafka. It made me feel like such a huge poser that I actually crossed over into being a poseur, which, as everyone knows, is far worse.

So I finally sat down to read Kafka’s most famous work, the short novel Metamorphosis, and it’s everything I had ever meant to express by invoking the man's name: absurd, dark, grotesque, and humorous only in the blackest possible sense of the word.

I was, of course, already familiar with the very famous first line of the book, translated in my edition as, "One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin." I think I had imagined, before reading, that the book would jump from that absurd beginning immediately in some other direction, but it doesn’t. It’s a good 10% of the way into the book (I read it on the Kindle; no page numbers) before Brundle-fly - sorry, Gregor-roach - even manages to flip over and get out of his bed, and it sets the tone for the rest of the book: unflinching, matter-of-fact in its depiction of surreal things, and compulsively readable at the same time that it’s psychologically uncomfortable and viscerally repelling.

I won’t spoil the ending for anyone reading this who is as big a poseur as I was, but I will say this: if Dan Savage woke from troubled dreams one morning to find himself transformed in his bed into Franz Kafka, he’d have started a viral video campaign called "It Gets Worse."(less)

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About Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka (German pronunciation: [ˈfʀants ˈkafka]) was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. He was born to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family in Prague, Bohemia (presently the Czech Republic), Austria–Hungary. His unique body of writing—much of which is incomplete and which was mainly published posthumously—is considered to be among the most influential in Western lite...more Franz Kafka (German pronunciation: [ˈfʀants ˈkafka]) was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. He was born to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family in Prague, Bohemia (presently the Czech Republic), Austria–Hungary. His unique body of writing—much of which is incomplete and which was mainly published posthumously—is considered to be among the most influential in Western literature.

His stories include The Metamorphosis (1912) and In the Penal Colony (1914), while his novels are The Trial (1925), The Castle (1926) and Amerika (1927).

Kafka learned German as his first language, but he was also fluent in Czech. Later, Kafka acquired some knowledge of French language and culture; one of his favorite authors was Flaubert.

Kafka first studied chemistry at the Charles-Ferdinand University of Prague, but switched after two weeks to law. This offered a range of career possibilities, which pleased his father, and required a longer course of study that gave Kafka time to take classes in German studies and art history. At the university, he joined a student club, named Lese- und Redehalle der Deutschen Studenten, which organized literary events, readings and other activities. In the end of his first year of studies, he met Max Brod, who would become a close friend of his throughout his life, together with the journalist Felix Weltsch, who also studied law. Kafka obtained the degree of Doctor of Law on 18 June 1906 and performed an obligatory year of unpaid service as law clerk for the civil and criminal courts.

Kafka's writing attracted little attention until after his death. During his lifetime, he published only a few short stories and never finished any of his novels, unless "The Metamorphosis" is considered a (short) novel. Prior to his death, Kafka wrote to his friend and literary executor Max Brod: "Dearest Max, my last request: Everything I leave behind me ... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, [is] to be burned unread." Brod overrode Kafka's wishes, believing that Kafka had given these directions to him specifically because Kafka knew he would not honor them—Brod had told him as much. Brod, in fact, would oversee the publication of most of Kafka's work in his possession, which soon began to attract attention and high critical regard.

Max Brod encountered significant difficulty in compiling Kafka's notebooks into any chronological order as Kafka was known to start writing in the middle of notebooks, from the last towards the first, etc.

All of Kafka's published works, except several letters he wrote in Czech to Milena Jesenská, were written in German.(less)

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“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.” — 161 people liked it

“What am I doing here in this endless winter?” — 64 people liked it

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