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Title: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Stanley Corngold ISBN: 0-8085-0972-1 Publisher: Bt Bound Pub. Date: October, 1999 Format: Library Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.10 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.2 (129 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: 582nd interpretation
Comment: Metamorphosis is one of the most famous works in 20th C literature, and possibly has the most memorable opening lines in the history of story telling, - 'As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning after disturbing dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into an enormous insect'. The standard interpretation of this allegorical tale is that Gregor's transformation from hard working travelling salesman, providing for his family, to a grotesque useless insect that provokes disgust and pity and ultimately rejection by his family, represents physical disability, and society's treatment of it. I can see this in the story, but I read Kafka as essentially portraying his nightmare of the barrier between the public and personal inner world being removed. The private mental life, with its sensitive and raw secrets, its ugly and embarrasing little features, the desires and instincts that we strive to keep hidden, and/or are forced to repress. The bug is the embodiment of the ugly and raw inside turned out, exposed for all the world to see. Particularly nightmarish for Gregor (kafka) is the fact that those who see are those he loves and whose rejecton he fears most of all - his family.
Rating: 5
Summary: Only a great writer could make me feel sorry for a "vermin"
Comment: Kafka stuns me. In the time it takes most writers to write a chapter, introduce a character, or illustrate a setting, Kafka lucidly conveys the sincere emotions associated with 20th century dissolutionment--and writes a damn good story. In 60 pages!
This book is even quicker than it's 60 pages implies. The words flow and you will be drawn in. I truly felt sorry for Gregor, I wanted his sister to recognize him. This book begins weird and I was not sure about it. Even as it progressed, I was wary of its path. When Gregor first retreated to under the couch and put the sheet over him, it hit me hard. This poor, helpless man was hated by everyone, for being who he was. This book told me as much about the human condition as books ten times it's length.
ADVICE: Spend 2 hours of your life and read this book. Then think for 2 days about it.
milo
Rating: 5
Summary: Interesting and Thought Provoking
Comment: I read this book for a German class, and I have to say, the German book is by far superior. However, I did read the English version to make sure I hadn't overlooked anything, and it is definately readable. Written in the expressionalist view, Gregor awakens to find himself transformed into an insect overnight. In the true style of the times, it is written so that Gregor realizes that he "awakens" from being a machine-type human to seeing what is really important in life, love and human contact. Gregor realizes this, but his parasitic family sees him as an animal, and cuts off the very emotions he is in need of. His sister, to whom he was very close, provokes emotion in him with her music, but it is seemingly too late. Kafka refers constantly to Gregor having a fear of his father's huge feet (which I believe any insect should be afraid of!!). This corresponds with the feeling of being overwhelmed by Kafka's own father. This book is definately worth reading, and the ending of this book is definately Kafkaesque!! I guess the moral of the story - In order to see life as it really is, is to see that life is not worth living without people who love you and whom you can love.
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Title: The Stranger by Albert Camus ISBN: 0679720200 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 13 March, 1989 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad ISBN: 0486264645 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 01 July, 1990 List Price(USD): $1.50 |
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Title: The Trial by Franz Kafka ISBN: 0805210407 Publisher: Schocken Books Pub. Date: 28 March, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.50 |
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Title: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett ISBN: 0553211757 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1984 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett ISBN: 0802130348 Publisher: Grove Press Pub. Date: August, 1997 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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