Review of The Metamorphosis… or An Intro to Kafka
This is a short, disturbing story that haunts the reader long after the book is closed. What is more horrifying, the opening of the story or its rather baffling conclusion? It depends on when you read it. At 13, when I first came across this short story in a collection of Victorian horror stories, I thought the opening was nothing short of brilliant. As the story progressed, I became more and more disenchanted until I reached what I thought was an unsatisfactory and ridiculous conclusion.
Thirty-five years later for my second go-around, I understand what makes The Metamorphosis truly a horror story. I still stick with my teenaged impression of the story’s opening pages: positively brilliant, ingenious! Now, however, I understand the ending, and I find it far more disturbing. Without giving away the ending, Kafka puts his finger on how we treat people of certain populations (think senior citizens, for example) in modern society.
Read The Metamorphosis because by reading a classic such as this, you are expanding your mind, and you will encourage thinking in your day-to-day life — this is a worthy endeavor on its own. You will surprise yourself by discovering that this classic, however disturbing, is eminently readable. You’ll probably find this true of many classics you hesitate to read.
Renee’s Rating:
3.5 out of 5
Now you can say you have read Kafka.
In The People's Reading Room, I'll write about all my reading experiences, from the lofty heights of Plato's Republic to the silly but entertaining stories spun by Janet Evanovich. I hope we can discuss our reading experiences; I'd love to know what you are reading, and I'm interested in what you think.
