| In 1912 Prague, Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find he has turned into a large beetle. Employed as a traveling salesman, he has been the sole support for his family, but of course he can't go to work now. Apart from their fear and disgust, his family does its best to pretend nothing has happened: his retired father goes back to work, they take in lodgers, and his 17-year-old sister Grete takes a job as well as feeding the creature in their apartment. Kafka's spare, simple language conveys the horror of a situation in which a sensitive, thoughtful creature is surrounded by vulgarians interested only in the material side of life. Gregor's beetlehood distorts and degrades his body, but brings out all his humanity, while his family turn out to be the real spiritual insects. Wrote Nabokov, "If Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' strikes anyone as something more than an entomological fantasy, then I congratulate him on having joined the ranks of good and great readers." | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - depressing/sad FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth Inner Struggle Yes Plotlet: - fighting a personal illness/handicap - search for identity/new understanding - change of heart Lifeform altered? Yes Kind of alteration: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Earth setting: - 20th century Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed How much dialogue? - little dialog |
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