October Book Review: The Metamorphosis

Franz Kafka's tragic allegory for dehumanisation takes our October book club spot.

Context

Written in early 20th-century Prague, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where Kafka lived as a German-speaking Jew in a predominantly Czech-speaking city, the novella perhaps draws from Kafka’s experience of cultural isolation. He was surrounded by rising anti-Semitism and tension between Czechs, Germans and Jews. This unrest manifests itself in Gregor Samsa, the protagonist. Kafka was educated in law but admitted that his primary reason for this study was due to it stealing little mental energy from his writing. He was open about the strained experiences he had with his father, Hermann Kafka, who was extremely domineering. In his Letter to His Father (1919), Kafka said: ‘Care had to be taken that no scraps fell on the floor. In the end, it was under your chair that there were most scraps.’ As seen in his novella, Kafka uses metaphors to untangle the difficult feelings of his estrangement from his father in his letter.

An Allegory

Self, family and society. Protagonist Gregor Samsa worries predominantly about the latter two. Even when he transforms into a huge insect, Gregor worries innately about his sudden uselessness, unable to provide for the family or to serve in society. This is a wonderful, heartbreaking story about dehumanisation. Given that Kafka was quite against publishing his work, it is interesting to imagine how this story might function as semi-autobiographical, reflecting on his passion for writing and duty to a stable job. The dehumanisation of Gregor is slow and painful, with each of his family members cycling through different emotional responses. Gregor’s sister cares for him at arms length, his mother lives in denial and his father resorts to aggression. The absurdity of the story is contained within his room, while the domestic life continues around him. This detachment grounded the story, particuarly in the early scenes with Gregor's boss. It made me reflect on the performance of everyday, working life.

Varying Interpretations

Kafka’s The Metamorphosis invites multiple interpretations, each offering a distinct way to understand Gregor's transformation. From a psychoanalytic perspective, his metamorphosis reflects repressed desires and psychological trauma, particularly linked to his strained relationship with his father. Through a Freudian or Frommian lens, Gregor’s change represents a retreat from unbearable external pressures into a passive, non-functioning state. A Marxist or sociopolitical reading views him as a symbol of the dehumanised worker, valued only for his labour and discarded once he loses economic usefulness, exposing how capitalism strips individuals of their humanity. The existentialist interpretation highlights the absurdity and meaninglessness of Gregor’s condition, with his struggle to find purpose after his transformation reflecting the existential burden of freedom and the isolation of human existence. Finally, a religious or spiritual reading portrays Gregor’s suffering as martyr-like; his quiet endurance and death bring a form of redemption or renewal to his family. Kafka’s complex relationship with Judaism deepens this perspective, though his distance from organised religion and Zionism keeps such readings open to interpretation.

Final Thoughts

In The Metamorphosis, Kafka uses Gregor Samsa’s transformation to show how modern life—through work, family, and social pressure—can strip people of their humanity. The story feels like a personal confession in disguise, a way for Kafka to express his own sense of isolation and resistance to fitting in. Family isn’t portrayed as loving or supportive, but as demanding and conditional, much like Kafka’s own experiences growing up. As Gregor’s life unravels, Kafka reveals how easily people lose their identity when they stop fulfilling the roles others expect of them. The story pushes readers to think about how quickly we turn away from others, and even from ourselves, when someone no longer seems useful or “normal.” This story blends the everyday with the insane, leaving behind genuine heartache and thoughtfulness.

★★★★☆