In 1915 Franz Kafka wrote a sureal short Novella entitled “The Metamorphosis”. The mere fact that you are currently checking out a literature blog suggests that this is not news to you. In this story Gregor Samsa wakes one morning and finds that he has been transformed into the likeness of a “giant insect”. His legs extend over the side of his bed, and he is a substantial beast. Kafka offers no explanation as to why this happened, so it’s not a sci-fi story. Nothing good comes of this transformation, so it isn’t Fantasy literature. No, this is a deeply veiled cultural satire. Gregor is a travelling salesman, firmly embedded with the waning middle-class. The fact that he has become an insect is horrifying to Gregor’s family, not due to the terrible ramifications this has for Gregor, but for what this could mean to their position in society, should word get out. …show more content…
In the beginning some notice is taken of Gregor. He misses work, so his boss stops by, and Gregor is able to make excuses for himself. But as the story progresses he ceases to speak to in any human language and begins to just hiss and squeak like a cockroach. Gregor is locked in his room, begins eating scraps of food and waste from around the house that would have previously been scorned. Essentially he becomes the cockroach, not the man. And all throughout his stature