The book on the nightstand: The metamorphosis

Moving to a new body… have you ever thought about it? In what or who would you like to live in?

I would not be able to answer this question, neither on the spot nor upon reflection, because perhaps in spite of my imperfections I feel at home in my skin.

So I can’t even imagine what Franz Kafka thought when in 1915, seized by a feverish productivity, he gave birth to a great classic of literature in just twenty days:

The metamorphosis.

Talking about Kafka I would like to break of a taboo. I don’t know if it afflicted only me but when I thought about the Bohemian author I was overwhelmed by a deep sadness; I would never have chosen one of his books among many possible readings but I was wrong: reading Kafka is surprising.

Gregor Samsa is a traveling salesman who wakes up in the morning in the form of an insect. No one will be able to accept his appearance of cockroach, not even his family members who are disoriented by The metamorphosis, they will despise him showing only disgust and indifference.

Gregor worked to repay his father’s debts and for a long time he had no more time for himself; prisoner of his condition, The metamorphosis is the metaphor of his life.

Are we only slaves of our body or also of our choices, made and suffered?

Kafka doesn’t judge, he doesn’t take sides. The author writes a brutal story to speak indirectly about family values, the role of the father and the society of his time that is not so different from ours.

Gregor is a victim of bullying, a child abused, a marginalized man or woman or victims of injustice, a migrant, a homosexual or a lesbian.
Gregor is at the back of the line of humanity, he is a last.

I think you can feel a cockroach so many times in life, even without being it.

Reading time
a nightmare night

Ph. Sara Cartelli
© The Eat Culture