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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
So, I re-read Metamorphosis and, honestly, it still hits like a truck. A slow, sad truck that doesn’t even honk before it runs you over and leaves you contemplating your entire existence.
Gregor Samsa waking up as a giant bug is probably the least weird thing about this book. The real horror? Realizing your entire sense of self-worth was built around being useful to other people, and the second you can’t provide anymore, they move on—quickly. His family goes from “Oh no, Gregor, are you okay?” to “Ugh, this bug is ruining our vibe” at record speed. And Gregor? He’s not even mad. He just internalizes it, spiraling into guilt, as if it’s his fault for being a burden. Like, sir, you literally turned into a bug overnight. That is NOT on you.
What really gets me is how much Gregor ties his entire identity to work. The dude wakes up as an insect and his first thought isn’t “What the hell happened?”—it’s “Oh no, I’m gonna be late to my terrible job.” And the worst part? I get it. Because when your self-worth is wrapped up in what you can do rather than who you are, losing that function feels like losing yourself. He’s no longer “Gregor, the provider,” he’s just…there. Taking up space. And once he’s no longer useful, his family just… lets him rot.
It’s dark. It’s depressing. But it’s also absurdly funny in that this-shouldn’t-be-funny-but-it-is kind of way. Gregor’s whole situation is tragic, but also painfully relatable if you’ve ever felt like a walking responsibility rather than a person. And Kafka just gets that specific kind of existential dread—the one where you realize your worth shouldn’t be measured by productivity, but you still can’t shake the feeling that it is.
So yeah, Metamorphosis is still an all-time classic, still makes me sad, still makes me laugh at how sad it makes me, and still makes me want to lay on the floor and contemplate my place in the universe. 10/10, would spiral again.
Gregor Samsa waking up as a giant bug is probably the least weird thing about this book. The real horror? Realizing your entire sense of self-worth was built around being useful to other people, and the second you can’t provide anymore, they move on—quickly. His family goes from “Oh no, Gregor, are you okay?” to “Ugh, this bug is ruining our vibe” at record speed. And Gregor? He’s not even mad. He just internalizes it, spiraling into guilt, as if it’s his fault for being a burden. Like, sir, you literally turned into a bug overnight. That is NOT on you.
What really gets me is how much Gregor ties his entire identity to work. The dude wakes up as an insect and his first thought isn’t “What the hell happened?”—it’s “Oh no, I’m gonna be late to my terrible job.” And the worst part? I get it. Because when your self-worth is wrapped up in what you can do rather than who you are, losing that function feels like losing yourself. He’s no longer “Gregor, the provider,” he’s just…there. Taking up space. And once he’s no longer useful, his family just… lets him rot.
It’s dark. It’s depressing. But it’s also absurdly funny in that this-shouldn’t-be-funny-but-it-is kind of way. Gregor’s whole situation is tragic, but also painfully relatable if you’ve ever felt like a walking responsibility rather than a person. And Kafka just gets that specific kind of existential dread—the one where you realize your worth shouldn’t be measured by productivity, but you still can’t shake the feeling that it is.
So yeah, Metamorphosis is still an all-time classic, still makes me sad, still makes me laugh at how sad it makes me, and still makes me want to lay on the floor and contemplate my place in the universe. 10/10, would spiral again.
Oh, Kafka. How magnificent your works were. I wish you could live to see the impact your musings have in this world despite your wish for it not to be given to this very world.
There's simply so many things to say and so many emotions felt throughout reading this book. Each parts and chapters entail such visceral emotions accompanied by vivid images of the characters and their surroundings–even that of a cockroach's day. Although I have incessantly rambled of him and his writing on my podcast with Alice; if you have yet to listen, it's up now and we rambled of Kafka and his brilliance for about an hour long.
Kafka's writing read almost like a diary but its fiction aspect divide it from being quite literally personal yet deep and genuine the aches were. Having told his life story, it was tragic that he truly thought his writing were nothing due to the lack of support from the people around him. Although I am a bit rocky upon finding out his stance on Zionism which I discover after I was about 60% into the book having read a story called Jackals and Arabs, his other stories were mostly made of social commentaries and satires as well as musings of nature quite exciting like Mary Oliver's poems but as dark as Sylvia Plath's. There was an article I read explaining his thoughts on writing, on his flirtation with Zionism which was partly influenced by his Zionist friend, Max Brod, who had also been the person he ordered his works to be burned by and yet he went on to publish the stories we now have which was without a doubt a shitty move by Brod. I think further reading of this is needed by all who wishes to understand this particular issue.
His takes on friendships and relationships (this often from the point of view of one of the lover than of them both) are the ones I prefer and find myself relating to very deeply. I had a fruitful discussion of some of the stories with these particular facets when Alice and I went out together after 2 years of radio silence. Both of us reflected on our growth over the past years and how some passages of Kafka's spoke to us to a great extent. His works truly were made for intelligent discussions and reflections with your family and friends.
Had so much fun buddy reading this with my person who our togetherness and conversations we have both profusely missed
There's simply so many things to say and so many emotions felt throughout reading this book. Each parts and chapters entail such visceral emotions accompanied by vivid images of the characters and their surroundings–even that of a cockroach's day. Although I have incessantly rambled of him and his writing on my podcast with Alice; if you have yet to listen, it's up now and we rambled of Kafka and his brilliance for about an hour long.
Kafka's writing read almost like a diary but its fiction aspect divide it from being quite literally personal yet deep and genuine the aches were. Having told his life story, it was tragic that he truly thought his writing were nothing due to the lack of support from the people around him. Although I am a bit rocky upon finding out his stance on Zionism which I discover after I was about 60% into the book having read a story called Jackals and Arabs, his other stories were mostly made of social commentaries and satires as well as musings of nature quite exciting like Mary Oliver's poems but as dark as Sylvia Plath's. There was an article I read explaining his thoughts on writing, on his flirtation with Zionism which was partly influenced by his Zionist friend, Max Brod, who had also been the person he ordered his works to be burned by and yet he went on to publish the stories we now have which was without a doubt a shitty move by Brod. I think further reading of this is needed by all who wishes to understand this particular issue.
His takes on friendships and relationships (this often from the point of view of one of the lover than of them both) are the ones I prefer and find myself relating to very deeply. I had a fruitful discussion of some of the stories with these particular facets when Alice and I went out together after 2 years of radio silence. Both of us reflected on our growth over the past years and how some passages of Kafka's spoke to us to a great extent. His works truly were made for intelligent discussions and reflections with your family and friends.
Had so much fun buddy reading this with my person who our togetherness and conversations we have both profusely missed
dark
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
- of a very dual nature; both comical (obviously being a social commentary and satirization) and sad
- most obvious commentary is on the value of appearances in everyday society: even though gregor’s family knows that the large bug is actually their relative, they forget that all too quickly just b/c of the way he looks and treat him like a common household pest
- another commentary: consequences of capitalistic and industrial society - dehumanization of workers and view of them as just another “worker ant” contributing to the machine otherwise known as labor
- most obvious commentary is on the value of appearances in everyday society: even though gregor’s family knows that the large bug is actually their relative, they forget that all too quickly just b/c of the way he looks and treat him like a common household pest
- another commentary: consequences of capitalistic and industrial society - dehumanization of workers and view of them as just another “worker ant” contributing to the machine otherwise known as labor
Struggled to get through this book. Honestly skimmed the ending. Just did not really grasp my attention.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
How odd!! Not sure exactly what’s going on here!!
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced