In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa wakes up like he normally would only this time it is different, his body no longer human but that of an insect. Things he would struggle with before as a human change to struggles he faces as an insect. Affecting not only him but his family as well, everything is changing and transforming into a new normal.
Being a human comes with its own struggles, being a huge insect who was originally human comes with its own different set of struggles, Gregor transforming into an insect one morning turned his world around. He lost his role as the money maker, slowly lost his family, and worst of all started giving into the insect life in turn losing his humanity. His life no longer being considered a life as time passes, having to fend for himself as he slowly becomes forgettable to the world he was once a part of, essentially being alienated from everything he once knew.
The Metamorphosis holds a lot of symbolism, from struggling with identity to the loss of purpose. Franz Kafka wrote, “I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.” Everything about the book has to do with change and not understanding that everything can transform into something different in the blink of an eye, in this case a human man changing into an insect overnight. Just like Gregor Samsa we are changing everyday although not into insects but in the sense of our beliefs, ideals, and physicality too we can relate to what he goes through each thought he has and the fear he held of accepting his new form and letting go of what he was before the transformation. Today after more than 100 years of this book being written, I believe the meaning behind it can be comforting, and help people deal with change in their everyday life, just like it did with me.
Get the book Check out The Metamorphosis at BMCC’s Library, the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, or the Queens Public Library.
About the author Mj is a lover of psychological thrillers, young adult fiction, and poetry and a psychology major at BMCC.
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