The Metamorphosis: Book Review


Book Review

Title: The Metamorphosis
Author: Franz Kafka
Genre: Fiction

The Metamorphosis tells the story of a salesman named Gregor who wakes up one morning to find that he has turned into an insect. He and his family are trying to grapple with this change. 

The book is written in third person.The metamorphosis goes deeper than just a man's alteration in his appearance. It's about a man who is the sole breadwinner of his family and how a certain change in him causes a chain of reactions amidst his family. From shock to grief, pity and indifference, Gregor sees the transformation in not onyl himself but his entire family's reactions towards him. It can be seen as a metaphoric representation of a certain illness and the attitude of his closed ones towards it. 

Change clearly is the main theme represented by the author. Not only is there a transformation in Gregor but also in his sister. There is a subtle reference to money that is mentioned in several instances in the book. Another interesting aspect is how Gregor still possesses the mind of a human despite having a body of an insect. 

Readers are bound to wonder about why the protagonist is converted into an insect. The book is strange and bizarre in many ways. Yet its symbolic representation and the psychological struggle with an identity is probably what makes it an interesting read. The metamorphosis is a story that can be analysed in various ways which is bound to give rise to different perspectives and viewpoints. 
-- 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heidi: Movie review

Image
I had read this classic by Johanna Spyri as a little girl. I won it as a prize along with my merit card when I was graduating from Primary to Middle School.  When I stumbled upon this on Amazon Prime, I was delighted. It always feels good to watch your favorite fictional characters on screen. Its often slated that the book is always better as it captures a lot more depth with regards to the plot and characters. However a couple of adaptations that I had seen in the recent past made a good watch. A couple of them ended up being a visual treat. One was The Call of the Wild which showcased the beauty of the Alaskan Wilderness. Another one was Heidi which exhibited the splendor of the snow clad Alps.  Heidi is the story of a young orphaned girl who is sent to live in the mountains with her rather eccentric grandfather-who is known as Alm Uncle by the villagers. Heidi manages to melt his heart as he develops an affection for her. She spends her carefree days in the mountains a
Read more

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more