The Metamorphosis

One of Kafka's best-known works, The Metamorphosis was first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and is still widely studied in high schools, colleges, and universities across the world. This striking novella tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa who wakes one morning to find himself mysteriously transformed into a huge insect.

Gregor subsequently struggles, unsuccessfully, to adjust to his new condition. The cause of Gregor's sudden and inexplicable transformation is never revealed, and Kafka himself never gave an explanation. The bulk of the story deals with Gregor's attempts to adjust to his new condition as he deals with being burdensome to his family, which is repulsed by the strange, giant, and verminous creature Gregor has become.

Literary critics and readers alike have generally interpreted The Metamorphosis to be a parable about the individual’s sense of finding himself victimized by large impersonal forces in society which are beyond one's grasp or ability to deal with. Horror, humor, and the surrealism of dreams are all present from the first sentence and stand to this day in this illuminating evocation of the condition of the modern, alienated anti-hero.

Written by Franza Kafka; English translation read by Jason Rosette