James Baquet

    Who would imagine that one of the seminal works of the 20th century would be about a man who one day wakes up as a giant bug? Or that such a book by an anguished, seemingly-disturbed Austrian would be required reading for many American high school students?

    The book in question is a novella called “The Metamorphosis” (which means a change from one thing into another). Its author, Franz Kafka, was never known to write light-hearted stories, but always showed the dark side of life. His works generally portray a protagonist going through a trial (in one case, a literal legal trial) without finding any meaning in the struggle.

    And so we meet Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning to discover that he has turned into a giant insect. Though it’s often said to be a cockroach, it seems the species is never specified.

    Gregor seems to take things calmly, at first. He tries to speak to his family through his locked bedroom door, but they can’t understand him. His office manager comes to visit, and admonish him for missing work. When the door is finally opened, the boss flees in terror at the sight of Gregor (confirming — perhaps — that he really has metamorphosed, and this is not just a mental condition).

    The situation grows steadily worse. The family takes in boarders, as Gregor was the sole bread-winner, and they leave in disgust at the filthy conditions when they see the large insect. In the end, Gregor dies by an act of will, which is a relief to his family.

    What makes this such a classic? For one thing, Gregor’s inability to make himself understood mirrors the breakdown in communication as the world became more complex. Another is the sheer absurdity of it all. How can a man become a bug? But aren’t many of the events in the world of the 20th century just as absurd? A third thing is the unfairness of it all. Gregor has been a good son and brother, a conscientious worker who provided for his family. The story never gives a reason for his fate, reflecting the feeling many people express with a shrug and “Why me?”

    Vocabulary:

    Which word above means:

    1. people who pay rent to live in someone’s house

    2. scold, reprimand

    3. original, foundational

    4. changed

    5. senselessness, lack of reason

    6. dutiful, careful

    7. only person bringing home money

    8. test, challenge

    9. suffering, in distress

    10. on purpose, with intention