The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka

present state he could not get himself into this position. No matter how hard he threw himself onto his right side, he always rolled onto his back again.

for this doctor, everyone was completely healthy but really lazy about work.

At the same time, however, he did not forget to keep reminding himself periodically of the fact that calm—indeed the calmest—reflection might be much better than confused decisions.

And for a little while longer he lay quietly with weak breathing, as if perhaps waiting for normal and natural conditions to re-emerge out of the complete stillness.

Things are not yet going as well as I thought. But things are all right with me. How suddenly this can overcome someone!

If they were startled, then Gregor would no longer be burdened by responsibility and could be calm.

He felt himself included once again in the circle of humanity and was expecting from both the doctor and the locksmith, without differentiating between them with any real precision, splendid and surprising results.

He no longer trusted his judgment.

which he now learned to value for the first time,

“Let me go to Gregor. He’s my unfortunate son! Don’t you understand that I have to go to him?”

It was, on the contrary, a requirement of family duty to suppress one’s aversion and to endure—nothing else, just endure.

Was he a beast that music so captivated him? It was as if the way to the unknown nourishment he craved was revealing itself.

He remembered his family with deep feelings of love.