The Metamorphosis
5 min read ⌚
Have you ever been pushed away?
Unsuited for the environment or the social group?
We are here to give a critical review of the situation, which Franz so perfectly devised.
Who Should Read “The Metamorphosis”? And Why?
The Metamorphosis is a life-altering and capturing novel that brings human existence to another level of social awareness.
The system or the society is not always warm when it comes to certain minority groups. The author puts in the spotlight the psychological aspect of decision-making and what is triggered by it.
Franz Kafka Biography
Franz Kafka is one of the greatest novelists and story-writers ever. He is best recognized for several works such as The Trial, The Castle, The Judgement, A Hunger Artist, and others.
He was born on 3rd July 1883 and died 40 years later on June 3rd, 1924.
Book Summary
The intricate storyline begins when Gregor Samsa – the leading character in this novel, wakes up transformed into an insect – monstrous vermin.
His life reflects a series of dissatisfactory events that he as a salesman recalls.
Part 1
As he looks up and realizes what time it is, a sense of stress overwhelms him because he is going to miss the train.
Gregor knows the consequences of arriving late at work, that’s precisely why Gregor tries to speed things up.
The whole rush is fueled by a series of encounters with a boss, who never accepts any form of excuse no matter how severe it may be.
The employees must always be right on schedule – something that Gregor and his co-workers despise.
At first, Gregor’s mom realizes that something is wrong, and knocks on the door to see what’s going on. Although Gregor hears his mother calling him, he cannot open the door.
It’s unusual for him to give short answers, and that’s the first sign, which indicates a certain behavioral change.
His sister tries to reach him, but unfortunately, Gregor is unable to move his body. To spice things up, Gregor’s office manager and chief clerk also arrive.
His superiors are not too content with Gregor’s delay and warn him of the consequences that may befall him.
On top of that, Gregor also receives a quick insight regarding his recent performance.
According to the manager, his achievements are unacceptable, and a new dispute point can only worsen the situation.
While Gregor is led to believe that his efforts were not satisfactory, his voice starts to mutate.
All the people on the other side of the door reckon that Gregor is seriously ill, and something needs to be done.
The exhausted Gregor finally dragged his body across the floor to unlock the door. All the individuals in the hallway are horrified by his appearance. His manager burst out of the room, disgusted by the visual sight.
Gregor attempts to explain the situation to him, but his father and mother prevent that from happening. They lay Gregor on the bed, for him to rest.
He begins reflecting on all of his past decisions, the utter disingenuousness of human interactions in his line of work, and how much he hates his job.
He also begins pondering that if not for his family and the need to provide for them, he wouldn’t be in that place.
Part 2
Gregor’s whole life is now under surveillance. While asleep, his sister comes to visit him and makes him a breakfast containing both milk and bread.
They soon find out that Gregor is no longer interested in such diets and eats the food scraps his father provides.
In the meantime, he stays hidden under the coach, not wanting to frighten his sister. At that moment, the only amusement he has is listening to the family members talking.
How bad the situation is, how to deal with the economic situation, and so forth! Gregor is unable to help his family in times of crisis or provide any assistance.
Gregor devises a plan, to send his younger sister Grete to take violin lessons.
However, the unfortunate turn of events hampers Grete’s dreams and hopes. His inability to work and contribute to the family leaves Grete on the edge.
In the meantime, he also finds out that his mother wants to visit him, but his sister and father prevent that from happening.
As time passes, Gregor begins to explore his new form and becomes more and more comfortable with his appearance.
His sister even suggests that it’s for the best to relocate some of the furniture in that room to give him more space.
Gregor opposes this idea and makes a final push to save a picture of a woman hanging on the wall. Gregor’s mother passes out when she sees him in such an unorthodox position.
Gregor moves over to the kitchen, where he encounters his father who has just returned from work. His father throws apples at him not aware that he can hurt him in the endeavor.
One of them hits a delicate spot and leaves Gregor paralyzed and seriously injured – not permanently.
Part 3
The family hires a cleaning lady to help them with Gregor. On one occasion, she leaves the door open, and Gregor can listen to the sounds of the violin.
Greta’s performance for the loggers is breathtaking, and she somehow tries to make them feel more comfortable because the additional revenue is of high importance to them.
Gregor tries to avoid contact with everyone in the flat, but one of the loggers sees Gregor and alarms the place.
His father tries to conceal the disappointment and directs the new tenants to their room. However, they all complain about the conditions of the apartment and refuse to pay the rent.
Grete, on the other side, grows tired of Gregor, and all the troubles he has caused for the family. She even declares that once they get rid of him, the whole family will flourish.
Gregor’s father agrees with this proposition and thinks of a way to make Gregor leave.
Gregor unexpectedly deprives the family of his presence. He dies, and his “horrified appearance” is wiped out from the face of the Earth.
Gregor’s death brings relief to the family. The cleaning lady is in charge of disposing of Gregor’s body so that nothing remains.
The financial part continues to trouble the family, and they move to a smaller apartment to reduce the expenses.
Mr. and Mrs. Samsa (Gregor’s parents) now believe it’s time to find a suitable husband for their daughter.
All they have been through serves as an incentive to pursue success and happiness. In other words, Grete develops into a strong independent personality, which fits into the picture of a perfect wife.
The Metamorphosis Epilogue
The main emphasis is placed on the socio-psychological aspect of an average family.
The whole game behind this novel plays in a series of sequences, that continue to portray Gregor as some sort of a destroyer.
The psychological approach tells another story. It speaks about personal interest and its impact on the overall behavior of one person.
“The Metamorphosis Quotes”
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. Click To Tweet He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone. Click To Tweet Calm —indeed the calmest— reflection might be better than the most confused decisions. Click To Tweet One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had been changed into a monstrous bug… Click To Tweet I only fear danger where I want to fear it. Click To Tweet The door could not be heard slamming; they had probably left it open, as is the custom in homes where a great misfortune has occurred. Click To Tweet
Our Critical Review
Franz Kafka’s works rarely disappoint, and in fact, this novel confirms the contrast of different personalities that society is producing.
We choose only the most thought-provoking books for our readers, and this is definitely one of the very best!
Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.
