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A review by ramblingsofareader
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
5.0
The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
Translated to English by Donna Freed
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka can be one of the short stories which can be interpreted in many ways. This is my first take on Kafka. So this is my humble effort to write down what I actually felt after reading it.
First thing I noticed was Gregor Samsa's lack of response to what has happened to him. All he cares about is how to get to work. He goes on and on about going to work, even he is turned to a giant insect. He seems to have accepted his transformation.
He always think about his family. He goes to the job because he has to. He has to pay his parents' debt. He has future plans for his sister.
So what was the family's response to Gregor? They are eager to help out before they found out what has happened to him. The author shows in an explicit manner, how the family's attitude changes over time. Even his sister, Greta; the only other named character, who is very supportive in the beginning and finally begin to hate him. The family altogether considers Gregor Samsa to be a burden.
Let me talk about Samsa family. We're told in the beginning of the story,
"As Gregor Samsa awoke from unsettling dreams one morning, he found himself transformed into a monstrous vermin."
But as we read further, we can ask the question, who is the real parasite here?
"They had simply grown used to it: both the family and Gregor; The money was gratefully accepted and gladly given but it no longer brought any particular warmth."
His mother seems to have a little bit of sympathy towards him, but finally they all become to hate him as he becomes a burden to them.
Whose metamorphosis Kafka is talking about? Gregor's transformation or the family's transformation? At the end the Samsa family begin to provide for themselves as Gregor can't provide for them.
IMHO this book was about existential crisis. We live in a society where value is placed on an individual's ability to contribute to the society, economically. Human beings are exploited with regard to the financial gain of the society in general.
If I'm to comment on the writing, i would say its bleak and depressing. And I read this simultaneously with K. G. Karunathilaka's Sinhala translation and I can surely say he has done justice to Kafka.
Translated to English by Donna Freed
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka can be one of the short stories which can be interpreted in many ways. This is my first take on Kafka. So this is my humble effort to write down what I actually felt after reading it.
First thing I noticed was Gregor Samsa's lack of response to what has happened to him. All he cares about is how to get to work. He goes on and on about going to work, even he is turned to a giant insect. He seems to have accepted his transformation.
He always think about his family. He goes to the job because he has to. He has to pay his parents' debt. He has future plans for his sister.
So what was the family's response to Gregor? They are eager to help out before they found out what has happened to him. The author shows in an explicit manner, how the family's attitude changes over time. Even his sister, Greta; the only other named character, who is very supportive in the beginning and finally begin to hate him. The family altogether considers Gregor Samsa to be a burden.
Let me talk about Samsa family. We're told in the beginning of the story,
"As Gregor Samsa awoke from unsettling dreams one morning, he found himself transformed into a monstrous vermin."
But as we read further, we can ask the question, who is the real parasite here?
"They had simply grown used to it: both the family and Gregor; The money was gratefully accepted and gladly given but it no longer brought any particular warmth."
His mother seems to have a little bit of sympathy towards him, but finally they all become to hate him as he becomes a burden to them.
Whose metamorphosis Kafka is talking about? Gregor's transformation or the family's transformation? At the end the Samsa family begin to provide for themselves as Gregor can't provide for them.
IMHO this book was about existential crisis. We live in a society where value is placed on an individual's ability to contribute to the society, economically. Human beings are exploited with regard to the financial gain of the society in general.
If I'm to comment on the writing, i would say its bleak and depressing. And I read this simultaneously with K. G. Karunathilaka's Sinhala translation and I can surely say he has done justice to Kafka.