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librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Metamorphosis is an interesting look at a young man who has become the breadwinner for his family, who is suddenly transformed into a giant insect. He first tries to stay in bed and recover, equating the feeling of being an insect to bone deep exhaustion from his taxing job as a traveling salesman. As the time passes past his intended wake up alarm, and then past the time he's supposed to board his train to work, Gregor pushes himself to get up and go to work, telling himself he will make the next train. When the manager from his job comes to check in on him under the assumption that he is lazy and all workers willing to miss a day must be lazy and not ill, Gregor pushes himself to the point of injury to open the door and try to explain his tardiness. He longs to return to work, or more likely dreads the possibility of losing his work and thus his family's livelihood. It's sometimes interpreted that The Metamorphosis is a metaphor for how capitalism crushes the spirit, which I do see in Gregor's distress at the idea of missing work and his overbearing bosses, but I find that view of the intended message in conflict with its conclusion. When the parents see how industrious the sister has become in the time spent working and caring for Gregor, and how she's grown and aged, she's seen as more valuable. At the beginning of the novel, they are reliant on Gregor. Though they're still flawed; the father's stubbornness, the mother's delicacy, and the sister's short fuse, the characters are stronger, healthier, and more ready for what the world can throw at them because they've joined the work force. It's an interesting exploration of loneliness and isolation. Applying a contemporary lens, I initially interpreted it as a discussion on depression and/or disability and the weight of caring for a loved one who is unable to care for themself. The way they view Gregor as unreachable and a burden, unable to understand them because they can't understand his attempts at communication is heartbreaking and familiar in how non-speaking disabled people are often viewed and treated currently and in the past. The Metamorphosis was written at an interesting time, as WWI had begun just over a year before. The novel was published as shell shocked and newly disabled veterans were beginning to be sent back home from the front lines. While Kafka didn't serve during WWI, Gregor's isolation and loneliness may have been a comfort for the newly returned soldiers.
I wasn't initially drawn in when I tried reading The Metamorphosis, but I really enjoyed the libriVox audiobook I listened to. To hear it read aloud, makes Gregor's desperation for connection all the more tangible.
I wasn't initially drawn in when I tried reading The Metamorphosis, but I really enjoyed the libriVox audiobook I listened to. To hear it read aloud, makes Gregor's desperation for connection all the more tangible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
claudia_moreira's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Animal death
sarahrosea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Mental illness, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Animal death, Gore, Rape, and Suicide
Moderate: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Police brutality
mihai26's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting read.
One of Gregor's first thoughts after realizing his transformation is that he will miss work. This shows how much stress can create the fact that he is solely responsible for his family's financial stability and summarizes the pressure put on workers in a capitalist society.
Besides the classical father complex that critics mention, I really liked to focus on Greta's own metamorphosis. She is the one who keeps the tie between Gregor and the rest of the family and she is the one who takes care of him. While starting out of kindness, she loses the connection to him and loathes her new "duties". In fact, Gregor affects his family so negatively that even Greta considers him just an insect, wanting to get rid of <i>it</i>, which in turn convinces Gregor to starve himself.
Kafka puts Gregor and his family in a very interesting antithesis. He has a depressing life, both before and after the transformation, while his family gets better and better. Greta matures, gets a job, and might soon marry, the parents get jobs as well, become financially stable and move into a new residence.
The only thing that annoyed me is how a few parts seemed to happen without a reason - just as a simple example, nobody questioned how Gregor actually turned into an insect.
One of Gregor's first thoughts after realizing his transformation is that he will miss work. This shows how much stress can create the fact that he is solely responsible for his family's financial stability and summarizes the pressure put on workers in a capitalist society.
Besides the classical father complex that critics mention, I really liked to focus on Greta's own metamorphosis. She is the one who keeps the tie between Gregor and the rest of the family and she is the one who takes care of him. While starting out of kindness, she loses the connection to him and loathes her new "duties". In fact, Gregor affects his family so negatively that even Greta considers him just an insect, wanting to get rid of <i>it</i>, which in turn convinces Gregor to starve himself.
Kafka puts Gregor and his family in a very interesting antithesis. He has a depressing life, both before and after the transformation, while his family gets better and better. Greta matures, gets a job, and might soon marry, the parents get jobs as well, become financially stable and move into a new residence.
The only thing that annoyed me is how a few parts seemed to happen without a reason - just as a simple example, nobody questioned how Gregor actually turned into an insect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Death and Suicide
festiveconclave's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Body horror
Moderate: Death and Suicide
tanisha_112's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, and Animal death
li_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I think it’s incredibly telling that I find a bug-man to be relatable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Bullying
halfpricessword's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence, Body horror, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death, Death, and Eating disorder
toffishay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Absurdist in the most fun way. Favorite stories were "The Metamorphosis", :In the Penal Colony", "A Country Doctor" and "Before the Law." Could definitely be a little pretentious at times, but I enjoyed that in a way too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Torture, and Death
enabditouri_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Confinement
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death and Animal death