The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is not a children’s book, but I had no idea what to expect when I downloaded the novella.
I have heard the term ‘Kafkaesque’ but never stopped to figure out what it meant. I took an interest in the short story because I wanted to introduce my nephew to fantasy fiction, and Brandon Sanderson mentioned The Metamorphosis in one of his videos.
He described it as a fascinating story in which the protagonist, Gregor, wakes up one morning to find that he has transformed into a giant insect. My nephew is nearly seven, so a 70-page novella in which a man becomes an insect felt like a decent introduction to the fantasy fiction genre.
The story is short and the English simple enough for a child to comprehend. The novella is a German text initially published in 1915. The internet is littered with English translations. You cannot fail to find one that matches your sensibilities.
Anyway, The Metamorphosis is not children’s fiction; Gregor never leaves his room. The novella explores his relationship with his family, who must adapt to life in a flat they share with their new, inhuman neighbour.
It is not horror either; Gregor does not spend the novella snacking on his parents and siblings. Instead, Gregor’s relationship with his family takes center stage. The traveling salesman spent his adult existence looking after them, working to clear his father’s debt before ultimately paying for his sister’s studies at the conservatory.
But as the sole breadwinner, you quickly realize that, to his family, Gregor’s value lies strictly in his ability to keep the household financially afloat. Once the transformation cripples him, Gregor becomes a burden, a diseased limb they would rather escape than tolerate.
People told me The Metamorphosis was depressing before I read it, and I agree. I can’t predict what messages you will glean when you read it. Everyone has their own interpretation.
Although, I would argue that Kafka is more interesting than his book. Born in 1883 in Prague, Kafka’s fame came posthumously. A prolific writer, the author was plagued with so much self-doubt that he burned 90 percent of everything he wrote, convinced that it was not worth reading, let alone publishing.
So how did we get books like Amerika and The Castle? Because Kafka died in 1924 (of starvation because complications from laryngeal tuberculosis made eating too painful). Kafka’s will asked Max Brod (literary executor) to destroy his unfinished works.
But Brod, a close friend, decided to publish Kafka’s manuscripts, which gained popularity in German-speaking countries after the Second World War and then spread to the rest of the world in the 60s.
One assumes that Kafka’s bleak existence influenced the grim stories for which he is best known. The man reportedly struggled with depression, anxiety, insomnia, boils, stress, and so much more.
One online entry revealed that Kafka thought he was physically and mentally repulsive even though everyone he knew spoke highly of his intelligence, sense of humor, and handsome features. This may explain his womanizing ways.
Learning about his complex relationship with his domineering father speaks volumes about a scene in The Metamorphosis with Gregor, Mr Samsa, and an apple. The older I get, the less patience I have for depressing literature. However, Kafka has me intrigued. And surprisingly, part of me thinks my nephew can handle The Metamorphosis.
Yes, the deeper meaning will go over his head. But the mystery of the transformation and the family dynamic will keep the boy entertained. We shall see. In the meantime, I urge you to give the novella a try. Some of you will undoubtedly hate it because, in a way, nothing happens. Others will love it. I fall somewhere in between.
katmic200@gmail.com
Source: The Observer
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