The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

[Leq]

As suggested in the nominations thread, I am starting a new topic about this book for the people interested in reading it.

Happy reading and come back with your impressions. You can find the e-book for free in project gutenberg site.

Spoilers are allowed (be warned :-) !!)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I read this yesterday in the hopes you'd start a thread, Leq! What a strange little story.

[Melanie, the neutral party]

I'm in!

[Soo]

Kindle version is also free for download. I read the story years ago. I'll go read it again and hop on board. =)

[Soo]

Well that was depressing. I read The Metamorphosis and Other Stories several years ago. This was not one of the stories I liked. =P

Did anyone like this story? There are cool parts. The description of how Gregor deals with the change and how he looks. The whole story is told from his perspective and it's really freaking sad. He did everything for them and they were greedy little snots just taking it.

I guess it's good that they learned to take care of themselves because they didn't have anyone to give them what they wanted anymore.

That ending. Man. It could be nice but all I really saw was the parents plotting to marry off their only child and have a new pair of people take care of them.

Even if Gregor didn't change into a giant insect, he probably would have died since he was feeling odd pains. It didn't sound like he was that old.

I had to check when the story was originally released. For one that was written in early 1900's, the story still comes across well.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yeah, it was just a bizarre little thing. Maybe an extensive, entomological example of "the more things change, the more they stay the same?" Our narrator was just waiting for life to happen to him. and then it did and in response he...

stared out a window until he was killed by a rotting apple.

C'est la vie, amirite?

The writing was superb, streamlined and just clever enough that you thought it was going somewhere. I do feel that a lot of China Mieville is probably kafka-esque, if this is the most Kafka a work can get, by popular standards. A lot of very interesting set up and character building that just...dies in a rubbish heap, its remains watching its loved ones move on without it.

[Soo]

Yah, basically, don't live for others. =)

Or you'll die covered in dust & garbage, hit by what you thought loved you and left to die in a dark room full of leftover trash.

Hehehehe

I liked other stories in the short story collection more than this one. Though, it is one of the more visually bizarre ones. Straight to Twilight Zone please. =)

[Leq]

I'm glad it was short :-)

I agree with both of you regarding the writing and the conclusion - don't live for others.

To me it is also a fairly good observation of the society in this part of Europe at the end of 19th, beginning of 20th century. If you replace the idea of changing into a bug to catching a disease that causes dramatic disfigurement, the story would make sense even more.

In those times, the family is on its own to handle any illness (no healthcare insurance), so the victim becomes the 'aggressor' in terms of material needs. And, most important for those times, that kind of event affects the family's reputation in their community. The guys renting are treated as "demi-gods" by his father (despite their rude and absurd behaviour, and they haven't paid any rent yet), just because they have probably a good image in the community, and they give the family a chance to change their "pariah" status.

Bleak, but a good reminder of the things that have changed for the better.

[Packi]

Many of Kafkas stories are rooted in his suffering under a strong and unloving father figure. The sensitive Kafka struggled with this his whole life. Always being judged and unloved are major themes in his stories.

[Sarah]

This Audiobook is the deal of the week on downpour.com. The sale started today and it's $2.95.