The Metamorphosis: A Modern View of a Classic
By Arturo Lee
One day, while I was in my bathroom, I noticed a large bug in my bathtub. Without much thought, I washed it down the drain. I am reminded of this incident after reading Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.
Kafka is well-known for his particular nightmarish and surreal style, so much so that he has an adjective derived from his name—Kafkaesque. Such is the story of Gregor Samsa, who in The Metamorphosis, wakes up one morning to find himself turn into a monstrous vermin.
Though typically found in high school reading lists, The Metamorphosis is a bracingly simple and accessible story despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that the story begins with the climax. From the very first sentence, we learn about Gregor Samsa’s transformation. And while the beginning starts off with this disturbing development, the story does have a humorous quality to it. For example, Kafka makes use of absurdist humor, for after Gregor Samsa learns of his metamorphosis into a vermin, he worries not so much about the fact that he’s no longer human but about the fact that he is going to be late for work. (I know if I were transformed, I would be more concerned that I’m some sort of bug!)
When Gregor’s family finds out about his transformation, his parents are upset. This seems reasonable, but it turns out they are mostly upset that Gregor will no longer be able to bring them money since he can’t work as a travelling salesman now that he is a bug. And with this, we are presented with another transformation of Gregor Samsa. Gregor has lived his life following the rules of everyone else, but now that he undergoes a physical transformation, he also is faced with a more psychological transformation. He learns to think for himself and act for himself. In essence, he learns to no longer have to depend on others.
In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka shows that he is a masterful storyteller. The story of Gregor Samsa is sad yet funny and endearing. And somehow, despite the absurd quality of the storyline, the drama is so well-presented that it seems realistic.
And now that I think about it, maybe I do feel sorry for the bug I carelessly washed down the drain in the bathtub. Perhaps it was just another Gregor Samsa, trying to learn how to be free.
