The title novella tells of Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who wakes up as a huge insect in his bedroom. He tries to open the door, to reassure his employer, and to keep his family together, but his parents and sister Grete respond with horror, then routine, then neglect. The story shows a household reorganizing itself around a burden, and the cold last pages show what happens when a person stops being useful. The text is spare and exact, and it mixes dark comedy with real cruelty.
For readers who want an introduction to Kafka's world of guilt, bureaucracy and family pressure. It is brief, so easy to start, and it stays with you more than many longer books.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- ISBN
- 9788804492559
- Language
- IT
