The Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is my second sojourn into Franz Kafka territory after The Castle many years ago.

It's a strange story about a successful salesman who supports his family, but wakes up one morning as a giant cockroach for reasons never explained.

He has to deal with his new body and its physical restrictions, followed by the fear and aversions of his loved ones who suddenly get lumbered with a man-sized bug!

The underlying and rather cynical message behind Metamorphosis is that after doing everything in your power to care for others, you can be cast off when no longer convenient, adding to the sense of loneliness and isolation, emphasizing how unfair and unkind life can be.

A short story of only three chapters, instead of disgust, I felt sorry for the man incarcerated as an insect, initially loathed, tolerated and gradually forgotten.