Journal:The Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka, an Austria-Hungary citizen, was an existentialist anarchist socialist. He attended meetings of Klub Mladých, an anti-militaristic and anti-clerical Czech organization. His novella The Metamorphosis was translated from German to English and holds many possible interpretations. Some may read the story literally, others may read it as a metaphor, and it can even be read as an allegory for an event that had yet to happen.

            As a literal interpretation, The Metamorphosis makes little sense. Some may feel that Kafka is an over-imaginative fantasy writer. However, read literally The Metamorphosis can allude to Kafka’s existentialism. Existentialists do not believe in spirituality, and therefore a human metamorphing into a different species is existentially possible as there is no spiritual transfer that would nullify the metamorphed person’s place as a child of any deity. Therefore a literal interpretation could help the reader understand Kafka’s political standing.

            As a metaphor, one may realize that Gregor Samsa did not become a giant “verminous bug” but became like a giant pest to his family, key word; like. If the story is read as a metaphor it is clearly seen that Gregor switched from being a great help to his family to becoming a hindrance that crippled his family.  It is entirely possible that The Metamorphosis is a very creative way to expand a simile; Gregor Samsa became like a giant pest to his family; to a metaphor; Gregor Samsa became a giant pest; to a metaphor of a novella; The Metamorphosis. Because Gregor became (like) a verminous bug to his family, they are forced to begin working again instead of depending on Gregor. Kafka may mean to depict on how after a calamity, a group of lazy people may again take up working instead of depending.

            The third and most peculiar interpretation of The Metamorphosis is that of reading the novella as an allegory. Granted it is impossible for Kafka to have intended the novella to be an allegory, as he died in 1924 and The Metamorphosis was published in 1915, for the story emulates the history of Germany and the Nazi Party.

            Allegorically, the Samsa family represents post World War I Germany; indebted beyond their wits with new generations growing, so they turn to the only visible and viable source they know of to pull them out of their Hell. Gregor represents the Nazi party, the dependable brother who through perseverance, determination, and hard work can pull the once mighty nation, the beloved family, out of its depression and debt. The dependable brother works diligently for years to save his family, and all seems well until one day, the saviour dramatically transforms into the greatest monster ever to be seen by the poor family, and perhaps the entire world. The brother does not see that he has become a hindrance, a menace, a burden, another debt to the family he so desperately wants to help. Parts of him recognize that he may be the opposite of what he desires to be and the opposite of what his family needs him to be, but they are minor thoughts that never cause an impact for the good, only the weakening of the brother. Grete is the young generation that falls victim to believing and loving the monster after its transformation. Mrs. Samsa represents those persecuted during the Holocaust, and Mr. Samsa represents the citizens of Germany who must pick up the slack working in the nation. The three lodgers represent the three major nations of the Allied forces who occupied Germany after the war; Russia, Britain, and the United States. After some time torturing the family, a blow is dealt that cripples the monster of a brother and eventually leads to its death. Before the death the family denounces the monster as a brother, and after the death moves on towards healing and preparing for the future of the next generation.

            The Metamorphosis, read allegorically, is powerful, and an excellent representation of how a dependant body can fall victim to its saviour, and how a force of good can distort and warp itself into a great hindrance for the body it desires to help when placed under great pressure.

            It is plausible that Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis as a literal fiction novella in order to represent his philosophical beliefs. It is probable that Kafka meant his story to be a metaphor for Gregor’s shift from a help to a hindrance. It is impossible for Kafka to have written this classic as an allegory for the historical events of World War Two, however the reading of the novel as an allegory is the most powerful of the three possibilities. Perhaps Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis as an allegory for a different turn of events that mirrored those of Nazi Germany. In conclusion, The Metamorphosis should be read and interpreted all ways possible as to give the reader as much as the reader can receive from this novella.