Metamorphosis
Genre: Novella, Absurdist Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Dark Comedy
Author: Franz Kafka
Publishing Year: 1915
Personal rating: 8/10
“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”
― Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis
― Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis
About the Book: The writers of 20thcentury saw a chaotic and depressed generation that has experienced World War 1, and gradually slide into World War2. As a result, their contents focused on the desolate, unsentimental and absurd state of human existence. The novella “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka is an odd classical one telling you the absurdist state of human existence. Through the story the writer has tried to show us how a man can feel like the fish out of water even being with a house full of people. The novella opens with the main character Gregor Samsa, the travelling salesman’s sudden transformation into a big giant insect and after that the story continues with the miniscule description of how everything around him changes.
The book is not about how he turned into an insect or the characters around Gregor are not overly amazed about this transformation, rather the book focuses on how people around him acts as he has become a useless person who cannot earn anymore. The effect of World War took a toll on populace, as a result they became somewhat selfish, self-centered, unsure and depressed. Thus is seen the world around Gregor changes cruelly, where love is based on money, care is not given for free, the dullness and boredom inflicted with pain finds expression as dark comedy.
The story is strange, yet you would never know when you might fall for this bizarre dream-like novella that spoke of our unspoken tragedies.
About Author: Franz Kafka was known as a sickly kid born into a middle-class German speaking Jewish family. His father was always disrespectful and torturous towards Kafka and his interest in literature. Kafka’s unpleasant experiences with his father cast a lasting impression on his later life including in his writing and developing a nature of not being able to settle anywhere.
He found desk job to be utterly frustrating and as a lover he had also been a failure for countless times. Kafka led a dull and short life of forty years only. Consequently, his writings are the embodiment of his negative experiences and a gist of global unrest and social anxiety of the time he lived in.
> Reasons why I recommend this book:
Ø This is a short novel, in other words ‘Novella’, which you can finish on one-sitting only. If you are looking for something that is short as well as moving, then this is the right book for you.
Ø If you are interested to read anything from the period of Modern English Literature (1900-1950), then Metamorphosis is well-suited combining the theme and narrative structure of Modern Literature.
Ø If you want to know about Franz Kafka, who despite being recognized as a failure in his lifetime was actually a quite talented man, you must read his novellas at first.
Ø This story shall tell you that tragedy is not just in unfulfilled romance or the defeat of a kingdom. Tragedy also lurks in perfect looking middle-class family, in the corner of dull apartments on in the busy roads swarming with mindless race-runners.
Ø If you are willing to know about Absurdist writers and writing, then this is a good choice.
Muntaha
Contributor
Writer's Club BD
