Metamorphosis

Rating:
Summary: A Strange and Complex Work of Literature
Review: Gregor Samsa, a normal, unassuming guy, wakes up one morning to find himself turned into a giant bug. And here we enter the mind of Franz Kafka. In not very many words, Kafka presents an extraordinarily complex work, that is not so much an aberration in the realm of classic literature, not so much an odd story, but a thought-provoking novella that poses many questions about existence, transformation, relationships, Jewish literature, feminism, and any other number of topics literary critics are all too happy to dissect. This is a very good story with no frills, just straightforward writing. You follow Gregor as he comes to terms with his new condition, a man trapped inside the body of a vermin. His family is appalled and bitterly rejects him, dehumanizing and abusing Gregor. They attempt to cope but never really succesed. A quiet, unassuming work that ends on an odd note that is both sad and joyous at the same time. Never has a work been examined more. And if you want to see what all the fuss having to do with a giant bug is about, read it and see for yourself.

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Summary: An Aspect of Life
Review: In the book Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the main character Gregor Samsa deals with the trouble of waking up to becoming a dung beatle. I believe that Kafka wrote metamorphosis on a different level then its rather elementary outershell.I believe that Gregor's struggle is an exaggerated form works with differences in people in the world and I believe that that's what Kafka was trying to accomplish in his writing of this sci fi book. Over decades and decades, people have been judged by the way the look or their creed or their color of their skin. I believe this book symbolizes the way people react to unique forms of characteristics of people.

I enjoyed this book because of Gregor's struggle with this change in his life even if it was a bit obtuse. As the story unravels you find out that in a fit of rage his father handicaps him, which is another weakness that he has to deal with. The story deals with coping with a handicap and is not the kind of "happy " stories that we have today. I believe that this book is a bit boring when it comes to its science fiction meanings but when you look at it as an abstract thought the book is well written and sends a great message. I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in taking a book on levels and not for the first level. If you are looking for a great science fiction book I would stay with a Bradbury book.

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Summary: My thoughts on the Metamorphosis
Review: Kafka is truly a great 20th century author and this book, along with "The Trial" are excellent and open to a huge number of interpretations. The bleak urban settings are some of the most memorable aspects. This book has a lot of essays and explanatory notes in the back that present theories about the deeper meaning (though you will want to think about it yourself before you read them). Why exactly the metamorphosis occurred is an issue you can think about. Gregor first seems to ignore the metamorphosis but later associates it with shame. In fact, it may represent some repressed side of him. Gregor's situation is made even worse by his family's failure to support him.

This book is remarkable in that, while so much literature relies on extraordinary events or characters, the only real extraordinary event here is Gregor's unlucky transformation into a beetle. (Note, Kafka never actually says it is a dung beetle.) Everything after that is quite believeable and, while depressing, probably represents what would happen in real life and what does happen in so many people's lives that are never written about. The book manages to be both surrealist and brutally realistic at the same time.

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Summary: At once hilarious and heartbreaking, a true masterpiece
Review: Kafka was a troubled man. You can tell by reading one of his books, which feels a lot like perusing someone else's diary, wandering into territory where you aren't entirely welcome but you don't care because the environment is so compelling and mysterious. In Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor Samsa, turns into a giant insect and is subsequently shunned by his family, a tragedy that, while inexplicably surreal on the surface, makes a genuine impact because of Kafka's likely personal connection to the character (note the similarity between the names Kafka and Samsa). In writing about a man who feels isolated from the world and rejected by those he loves, he ultimately writes about himself, and the result is a doubly depressing but nonetheless incredible book well worth anyone's time.

Metamorphosis is tragic, but it also has moments of sheer comic brilliance. It is one of the few pieces I've read that actually made me laugh out loud when no one else was around. Yet even as I laughed at one ridiculous situation or another, there was a sadness to it that wouldn't let go of me, an underlying despondence that kept me perpetually close to tears. When a book affects you that much, there's something beautiful about it.

Beautiful it is, and this is a terrific version, complete with myriad literary criticisms and miscellaneous articles in the back (the "novel" itself is only something like 60 pages) covering a wide range of pertinent topics. Some of the essays are interesting, some are ridiculous; many of them make great classroom discussions (such as the interpretation that equates the notorious apple-projectile with a certain male body part). Great fun, great fun.

Seriously, this is an amazing book--not boring, as many classics are--that you could easily read in two or three hours. Heck, I did, and it turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. Trust me. This is good.

Rating:
Summary: Important existentialist work
Review: Kafka's The Metamorphosis stands as one of the most important existentialist literary works ever written.

The novella follows Gregor Samsa, a lonely and somewhat pathetic salesman who lives at home supporting his family. Inexplicably, Samsa awakens one morning to find that he has transformed into an insect. In typical existentialist fashion, Samsa's physical transformation is accompanied by a dramatic psychological transformation, as Samsa's mother and father utterly reject their newly transformed son. Even Samsa's previously sympathetic and caring sister changes her ways, eventually seeking to destroy the monstrous insect that her brother has become.

This novella is meant to be thoroughly depressing and succeeds very well, though there remains a tinge of comedic elements throughout the book. There is purposefully very little explanation as to why and how Samsa's transformation took place, and Kafka allows the reader to come to his/her own conclusions about the deeper meaning of his work.

This is a fast read and an enjoyable one at that. People vehemently opposed to the existentialist philosophy may find this book frustrating and overly depressing, but it is worth reading nevertheless. Ultimately, I think each of us has a little Gregor Samsa in us, and all readers will be able to identify with Samsa's plight.

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Summary: WARNING: Review of the graphic novel version only
Review: When I first saw this graphic novel in the store, my first reaction was confusion. I already owned the print version of the Metamorphosis and I remember reading that Kafka pleaded with the editor that Gregor-as-insect never be drawn (something that's been honored since then. The closest thing I ever saw was one book that's cover had antennae poking up from behind a bed). So now Kuper makes a graphic novel version? It struck me as disrespectful in a way, but then again Kafka also wanted his best friend to burn his works, and his friend never did. So why should we hold Kuper to a higher standard?

In the meantime, after browsing through the book (I didn't read it word for word... or buy the book. I mean, I've read the story before and own it.) I was struck by how powerful it was. Kuper does a wonderful job of conveying Gregor's pain and lonliness, and the flashbacks to his life before the transformation make his struggle all the more heartbreaking.

So all in all, it's a wonderful creation. But I don't give it five stars because I'm still wondering if it should have been made at all.