How long is metamorphosis by kafka

One of Kafka's best-known works, The Metamorphosis tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa who wakes one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect German ungeheures Ungeziefer, literally "monstrous vermin" , subsequently struggling to adjust to this new condition. The apples represent immortality. They are only available from the garden of Hesperides. These apples are representing the most heart-rending emotions in the history of literature achievements in Greek mythology.

It is a symbol for complex representation of human relationships from happiness to death to immortality. Franz Kafka's novella, The Metamorphosis , is one of the best literary works in world literature.

It is a very heart touching book. The main character of the book is Gregor Samsa. In Kafka's life, he had an extremely complex relationship with his father, and I think that plays a big part in his writings.

The causes of the metamorphosis! The Metamorphosis , by Franz Kafka, is basically about a young man, Gregor , who becomes an insect one morning after an uneasy dream. The main protagonist, Gregor Samsa, dedicates his life to his family and his company, regardless of his anxiety and hatred.

Change literally means to make or do something in a different manner to get a new result. Dune is not difficult to read , but you need to take your time. He is building an entire society, with many strange yet inter-locking parts. If the average page has — words, then the word count for a page book totals 25,—30, By reading words per minute, it will take you 83— minutes to read this book.

If your reading speed is right in the middle of the pack at words per minute, and you're reading a middle-of-the-pack novel at around 80, words, you'll be able to knock it out in around five hours or less. You can read a book in a day of pages , it'll require a good time depends upon your reading speed and retention capability. The narrator notes that Gregor dies a little after 3 a. While Kafka himself expressed disappointment with the story's ending , it actually works because of its dramatic understatement.

Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. It came out in October , and then appeared in December though dated as a slender volume published by Kurt Wolff Verlag in Leipzig. Metamorphosis is a complete life cycle from larva to adult for many creatures.

Yes, technically by science we Humans , do not go through metamorphosis , like amphibians, and insects go through , but we do have very similar life stages.

Answer Expert Verified. In Kafka's Metamorphosis, when Gregor has his first transformation and leaves his room, his mother becomes shocked of his presence and collapses to the ground.

However, Gregor's father gives an impression of anger, but later starts to cry. Change literally means to make or do something in a different manner to get a new result. The answer is A: Grete is playing the violin and Gregor wants to tell her how beautiful it sounds.

The Metamorphosis , written by Franz Kafka is a prime example of magic realism. Magic realism is a fictional technique that combines fantasy with raw, physical or social reality in a search for truth beyond that available from the surface of everyday life.

Why does Gregor finally decide to reveal himself to the chief clerk and his parents? He is desperate to stop the chief clerk from leaving and, thus, fire him.

He wants to see his family's reaction: if they will be there for him even though he can no longer provide for the family. Where does Gregor feel most comfortable? In his bed. On his back. Surreal, inexplicable and unusual, Kafka explores the futility of human existence. Or does he? Gregor Sansa is turned into a bug and through the process he realises just how insignificant he is, how insignificant we all, ultimately, are in the greater scheme of things.

However, when that backbone is removed the unit adapts; it carries on and finds new means of survival. The most important me Surreal, inexplicable and unusual, Kafka explores the futility of human existence. The most important member of the family is swept aside, forgotten about and life continues as it always must.

There are so many designs that can be put onto this story, so many interpretations. And this is what Kafka does so well. He leaves you with absolutely nothing, no answers or explanations, only a simple case of this happened and it ended like this. We as readers look for meaning within the narrative because that is how narrative traditionally works.

There has to be a point to it all, right? But perhaps that is the point: there is no point. Perhaps by looking too hard we miss what Kafka is trying to say, or not say, with his passive writing.

There are certainly elements of alienation in here, even in the recollections Gregor has before he was turned into a bug. As per the modernist mode, he was isolated from his peers and the world at large. Powerlessness is also another theme that runs through the story. They just have to go on with it and hope to make it through to the other side.

A suggestion that no matter how hard we work in life, how much love or success we appear to have, we can be struck down at any moment. Forced into a situation we cannot control, we perish. Such is life. His personal feelings about life obviously helped to propel much of his writing. He wrote many strange stories, though Metamorphosis is the most renowned of his work. View all 9 comments. Rather than waving his legs and antennae in the air, screaming, "Omigod!

His family, by way of contrast, are a selfish, unpleasant bunch and mer "I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable. His family, by way of contrast, are a selfish, unpleasant bunch and merely see Gregor as vermin. It has oft been said that angsty Kafka might well have been channelling his own real-life feelings of worthlessness i. That being so, this poignant story is ostensibly one of alienation and guilt.

His writing is a little laboured at times, but this might have more to do with my reading of a translation, rather than his original. Overall, from its genius premise to its allegorical ending, Metamorphosis is an entertaining, pity-inducing, thought-provoking read. Despite its dark exoskeleton, this anthro-podcast has a soft abdomen and is a whole lot of fun! View all 46 comments. Relatable, even. In fact, I associate myself with Gregor so exactly that it is almost as if Kafka had been writing—in his veiled, symbolic way—about my queer anxieties, just as they are today, in this summer of I use quotes here because I did not so much come out as stop tip-toeing around this aspect of my life.

I can return home for a visit, provided I travel alone and never speak of my personal life, otherwise I am not invited. It begins with the image of a locked door. Manager…the young man has nothing in his head except business. What is wrong with you? But being inside the locked room, you know these answers will destroy your family relationship.

Not in optimism—is he communicating with us? Something they do not want shared with third parties. Something they would rather not think about themselves. In any case, the closet metaphor serves well because the image of a tightly-spaced room, typically with no light source, accurately represents the stifling, oppressive feeling queer persons feel while hiding from a heterocentric society.

Existing in a dark space, one is used to eavesdropping, of analyzing how much light can be seen through the keyhole, of vast hope whenever someone accidentally leaves the door open—are they signaling acceptance? Is it safe to come out now? Feeling optimistic, Gregor makes himself seen—slightly—to test her level of acceptance.

Her revulsion assures him the timing is not right, however, so he reverts deeper into his hiding place under the sofa—a closet within a closet. I have my own sister who I imagine very much views me as a hideous bug; a blight on the family. On the phone, I occasionally push boundaries. So far the reaction has not changed. Or maybe I do it for me. That Gregor continues to love his sister, even after she becomes increasingly cruel, is not surprising—I too continue to love my obstinate sister—because there is so much textual evidence to show that the Samsa siblings were particularly close prior to the metamorphosis.

Gregor worked relentless hours to keep his family financially stable. Additionally, their names—Gregor and Grete—have a similar ring to them and imply the two are a well-suited pair. Till the bitter end, even after she spearheads a plan to kill him, his sister is the one he trusts and admires most.

This occurs when queer individuals begin to view themselves as abhorrent because that is how others view them. This internalized homophobia climaxes, as it often does for queer persons, in death. Even Mr. Apples are, of course, most famously associated with original sin in the Garden of Eden. Thus it is impossible for someone like me, whose own father is a Baptist minister, to miss the interpretation that Mr.

One can brush off homophobic friends and even, with more difficulty, family, but the belief that your life is an affront to God is—at least for the religious—the wound least likely to heal. In case the religious implications of the apples are missed, Kafka includes crucifixion imagery in the same scene.

Furthermore, to once again cement religion as an issue, Mr. It is so easy to imagine a homophobic family thrilled by such a convenient conclusion to their social problem. For the Samsas, at least, that relief is immediate and apparent. Again, Kafka breaks my heart with a depiction that is all too familiar to me personally, and queer reality in a broad sense.

Some form of disownment continues to be a reality for queer persons from unsupportive families. This is why, out of 1. If the family shows any level of support for a gay person, they fear, it could reverse his installed belief that homosexuality is a sin against God. At this moment, it is worth backtracking to discuss the issue of how we should interpret Gregor in his insect form.

Should we only see his bug exterior as a metaphor for the queer experience? Or should we ever take the story at face value? That is, that he has literally transformed into a bug?

Kafka includes many examples where Gregor moves his tiny limbs, creeps about the ceiling, or eats rotten food to assure us that he has, indeed, become a bug. There should be no doubting the reality of that. And yet, it is also interesting that his insect form does not overwhelm the novel. Gregor does not linger on how this metamorphosis happened. If I transformed into a bug, I would do nothing but wonder how this happened and how it might be fixed.

What did I eat last? What chemicals was I exposed to? Did a witch curse me? That Gregor does not question this only further illustrates that is aware he is queer and, frankly, always has been. Now the exterior only matches the interior, and the dilemma is in handling that reality.

Instead, their primary concerns are getting third parties out of the house so that rumor does not get around.

Kafka further blends the insect issue by making it unclear precisely what bug Gregor has transformed into. This seems fairly obvious, that Kafka wants the reader to view Gregor as an outcast more than a bug. He wants the reader to read Gregor as a brother and a son, as someone who has been alienated by his own family.

There can be some doubt on whether or not Kafka intended the queer implications of his novel—more on that later—but the ambiguous language is certainly meant to make the reader view Gregor as human as possible in his bug form.

Miraculously, Kafka does name a specific type of insect in relation to Gregor, but that insect is so full of innuendo that could also be used as a human insult. So he reverts more, deeper still into his closet within a closet. By now I hope my argument is convincing that The Metamorphosis can be read as a parable for the queer experience.

This naturally leads to the question of authorial intent. Did Kafka intend to write about the gay experience? Maybe, probably not. Furthermore, the art of masterpieces is often found in their ability to warrant many interpretations. As it turns out, there are some clues which may readily validate a queer interpretation. It is true that Kafka never married, despite finding himself engaged to a number of attractive, eligible women.

This stereotype alone does not, of course, prove anything. But on the flip side, the knowledge that Kafka attended brothels, presumably for their female entertainment, likewise does not prove an exclusive interest in women. The methodology seeming to be that once you try heterosexuality you will like it.

If you thought of yourself as a crawling, creeping cockroach, what extremes would you go to for a cure? This detail is hardly revealing, except that The Metamorphosis possibly alludes to porn. The nude art is the thing he chooses to save possibly because he views it as the item most likely bring him back to normal. Of course there are other interpretations. This is not a fault of the novel, but rather one of its touchstone achievements. As more queer readers respond to this novel and share their personal connections to it, I suspect there will be more recognition of its relevance as a queer literary landmark.

View all 14 comments. So, this business man wakes up one morning to discover that he has somehow mysteriously morphed into a disgusting, putrid, orangey cockroach. No, this isn't Donald Trump's autobiography Kafka's Metamorphosis played as much to my subconscious anxieties as it did to my conscious ones, like those nightmares most of us have about our teeth falling out, or our home falling apart. Maybe I liked it because it can be exhilarating to face one's fears, like skydiving, or bungee jumping, or marriage?

View all 35 comments. Aug 07, James rated it really liked it Shelves: 1-fiction. I think most people are familiar with the premise of this book, and rather than do a normal review, I thought maybe I'd question how on earth Kafka came up with this one? It was such a great way to tell the story and teach a lesson I secretly suspect he came across a huge cockroach in his apartment while in NYC one day.

And how do you deal with such a change? Your family is afraid. They are embarrassed. You can talk. What's really going on here? What is Kafka trying to say about life? We're all insensitive? So many things to read into here When you're a bug life's quite different. Have you ever managed something like that before? So how did Kafka come up with all the little things to make it real? I'm glad he did as this book helps you enjoy reading when you may be forced to read some classics at a younger age that don't appeal to you.

As an more mature reader, you find all the symbols and beauty in the messages with this one. I believe I read it twice, possibly some excerpts for a third instance. Each time, it gets better. I would love to see a really good film or TV Adaption The words are amazing, but it's what you experience by reading it that makes it such a wonderful book. About Me For those new to me or my reviews I write A LOT. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings.

Thanks for stopping by. NOTE: Some of the stories in this edition have also been published in separate collections, and those ones are reviewed under those titles links included here. A definite voyeuristic slant to several two are explicitly titled about looking through a window. Metamorphosis The provider turns parasite, and in giving up his life, liberates his family.

It's a surreal situation: Gregor wakes to find hi NOTE: Some of the stories in this edition have also been published in separate collections, and those ones are reviewed under those titles links included here.

It's a surreal situation: Gregor wakes to find himself transformed into an unspecified insect, for an unknown reason, contrasted with realistic detail. He wonders what he is, but never why. In this unrealistic situation, it convincingly shows how his thoughts, principles, preferences, attitudes to family, mood etc gradually change as a result. The least real aspect is how pragmatic and accepting everyone is.

No one asks "why? It is sad, but somehow pointless - except as personal catharsis re his own family. Up till the start of the story, Gregor is well-intentioned: he thinks he is the provider, and wants to be loved and appreciated for it, but he is really a parasite. His overwhelming efforts to provide for his family have sapped them of power and ambition, "so preoccupied with their immediate worries that they had lost all power to look ahead".

As an insect, he can understand everything they say, but cannot make himself understood. His sister is empathetic and creative, but even so, the inability to communicate is part of his demise.

Yet as he becomes a burden to them, the family blossoms and is rejuvenated; they take control of their lives and sunshine - literally - returns. Ultimately, it is a totemic apple, thrown in anger, by his father that is the end.

Aeroplanes at Brescia This is a factual report of Kafka's first sighting of planes, at an air show he attended with friends. Eleven Sons especially sad but pertinently perceptive of 11 different ways he disappointed his father. Report to the Academy is an amusingly surreal reminiscent of Gerald the gorilla in Not the Nine O'clock News slant on Jewish integration.

The Fasting Artist may be where David Blaine got his idea from. The Judgement is a domestic judgement, passed by a father on the son in whom he is so disappointed. The section of this titled Meditation is sometimes published separately under that title, or Contemplation. View all 32 comments. Mar 03, Samra Yusuf rated it really liked it Shelves: existentialism-philosophy , fav.

So what do we expect him to do now? Consider himself in mid of some nightmere and sleep again? Shriek vehemently by first transformed-sight of himself? Think of suicide maybe? The most horrific factor though is of alienation,Gregor in his own home is confined to hide and is treated strictly like the one he looks………an insect a bigger one! Gregor becomes noticeably less human and more accepting of his transformative state. With each act, Gregor also becomes physically weaker.

As his family abandons its denial of his insectlike appearance and their hope for his full recovery to a normal human condition, they gradually become indifferent to his fate and recognize their need to pursue their lives without him. His father returns to work, his mother learns to operate the house without the help of a maid, even adding the burden of taking in boarders, and his sister assumes the responsibilities of adulthood. Where once he was the center of their lives, he now becomes an unnecessary burden and an embarrassment.

And this is when he abandons hope………. Gregor dies of disappointment! View all 28 comments. The emotions hit me right. The characters relatable. Family issues well brought up. Everyday family struggles with such a character to handle with everyday, the shift of responsibilities, the change in the nature of human beings well displayed.

The characters may be a bit detached or too overwhelming. The storyline a bit mundane and underwhelming. The best part is the solid writing style. For me, this did it.

And made it an interesting read. Looking forward to more of his work. View all 6 comments. Mar 21, Michael rated it really liked it Shelves: A strange fable about a young traveling salesman who metamorphosizes overnight into a monstrous insect, rendering him unable to work and useless to his family, who scrambles to feed his relentless appetite and find another source of income to sustain the household.

Feb 11, Lyn rated it liked it. Ant-Man: What in the hell was that anyway? Spiderman: Bug man. Fly: Guys, please, this is a modern classic of existentialism told in absurdist comic fashion. Kafka was decades ahead of his time, he quite literally influenced literary movements following him. I mean, anything cool at all, any super powers?

Spiderman: Not that I could tell, he just kind of scuttles around his apartment — Fly: Guys! By making this an absurdist comedy, he highlights the contrast between what society dictates and the feelings of inadequacy and desperation we all feel. Ant-man: Even though they were freaked out by him, they still kind of just accepted it, kind of like the Coneheads.

Ant-man: Well neither were the Coneheads, they just told everyone that, they were from an alien planet. Fly: Aaaaaargh!! Ant-man: Avengers! View all 18 comments.

The way how the wide spectrum of human behavior, nature, emotions and reactions is illustrated in this book does a huge favor to every single word written in it. The truth of every relationship, the vanity of human nature, the highs and lows of human emotions, the actions one takes in certain circumstances and the reactions one gives intentionally or unintentionally have been very beautifully portrayed in this book. This book has a lot to teach if one is a keen reader.

Must read for people who e The way how the wide spectrum of human behavior, nature, emotions and reactions is illustrated in this book does a huge favor to every single word written in it. Must read for people who enjoy reading about human psychology.

Readers also enjoyed. Videos About This Book. More videos Short Stories. About Franz Kafka. Franz Kafka. Franz Kafka was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. His unique body of writing—much of which is incomplete and which was mainly published posthumously—is considered to be among the most influential in Western literature.

His stories include "The Metamorph Franz Kafka was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. Kafka's first language was German, but he was also fluent in Czech. Later, Kafka acquired some knowledge of the French language and culture; one of his favorite authors was Flaubert. Kafka first studied chemistry at the Charles-Ferdinand University of Prague, but switched after two weeks to law.

This offered a range of career possibilities, which pleased his father, and required a longer course of study that gave Kafka time to take classes in German studies and art history.

At the university, he joined a student club, named Lese- und Redehalle der Deutschen Studenten, which organized literary events, readings and other activities. In the end of his first year of studies, he met Max Brod , who would become a close friend of his throughout his life, together with the journalist Felix Weltsch , who also studied law. Kafka obtained the degree of Doctor of Law on 18 June and performed an obligatory year of unpaid service as law clerk for the civil and criminal courts.

Kafka's writing attracted little attention until after his death.